Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 16) — The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has released the rules to be followed during the different levels of community quarantine implemented around the country.
The IATF said the guidelines were necessary to make sure these were applicable to the revisions made to community quarantine classifications all over the country.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the announcement at a televised briefing Saturday, adding the guidelines were released on May 15.
READ: Task force endorses ECQ for Cebu, Mandaue cities, modified ECQ for six provinces
For areas under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), authorities will allow the reopening of select manufacturing and processing plants, and there would be limited transportation serviced would be available in these areas.
Depending on the establishment, services may be allowed at 50 percent or full operational capacity. Work-from-home and other flexible arrangements may also be employed.
Roque said “home religious services” are now allowed in these areas, provided health protocols such as the wearing of masks and physical distancing are met.
He added firearms and ammunition trading establishments in areas under MECQ are allowed to operate, subject to the strict regulation of the Firearms and Explosives Office.
Meanwhile, recruitment and placement agencies for overseas Filipino workers have also been cleared to open in MCQ areas but only under 50 percent operational capacity.
Roque previously described the MECQ as a “transition phase” to a relaxed general community quarantine, with the hope the COVID-19 risk in these areas will improve.
Another new classification is the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), which Roque said was the transition phase between GCQ and the so-called “new normal.”
Under this category, Roque said, “Ang mga pansamantalang hakbang tulad ng limiting movement and transportation, regulation of operating industries at presence of uniformed personnel ay mare-relax na.”
[Translation: Temporary arrangements such as the limiting of movement and transportation, as well as the regulating of operating industries and the presence of uniformed personnel, will be relaxed.]
Roque said the MGCQ was the most recent addition to the classifications, but did not expand on it, saying it would give a more detailed discussion of it during his regular press briefing on Monday, May 18.
