Duterte approves IATF recommendation placing Cebu City under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine until May 31

Cebu City map

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has recommended placing Cebu City under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 30, 2020.

President Rodrigo Duterte has already given his approval to the IATF recommendations, but an Executive Order from Malacañan Palace has yet to be released.

This was announced three days before the enhanced community quarantine in the city imposed by Mayor Edgardo Labella will end on May 15.

In the IATF recommendation, Cebu City joins Laguna and Metro Manila as the local government units (LGUs) that are identified as high-risk areas that still need to stay under some sort of ECQ.

However, in the MECQ category, there will be some business establishments that will be allowed to operate despite the strict limitation of the movement of the general public.

There will be limited movement in the areas identified as zones for obtaining essential services and work.

Selected manufacturing and processing plants will be allowed to operate, but only 50 percent of the workforce will be allowed to work in the plants, offices, or work fields.

There will be limited transportation services and only for goods and services.

Physical classes are still suspended under the MECQ, which means that both public and private cannot yet reopen, but may hold online classes.

Since Cebu City will be placed under MECQ, the LGU has the prerogative to identify the risk threshold of areas or barangays depending on the cases of the area.

The LGU also has the prerogative to conduct interventions in the affected barangays.

This recommendation from the IATF may be contested or appealed by Cebu City, should the city government wish to question their category.  /rcg