CDN DIGITAL FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The national government’s anti-COVID task force on Sunday, August 1 granted the appeal of Cebu province to be placed under a more relaxed quarantine status.
Malacañang on Sunday announced that they have approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to downgrade the province’s Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) classification to ‘General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions’.
This stemmed from the appeal that the provincial government filed before the IATF last Friday, July 30.
“The Province of Cebu shall be placed under GCQ until 15 August 2021, without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas, and with the observance and implementation of the (redacted) heightened restrictions,” portions of IATF Resolution No. 130-D, released on Sunday, read.
The recent resolution from IATF, however, did not mention any statements indicating the status of the appeals filed by the three largest and highly urbanized cities in Cebu — Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.
Heightened restrictions
Areas under ‘GCQ with heightened restrictions’ should observe the following health protocols mandated by the IATF:
- Indoor and al fresco (outdoor) dining services are allowed but seating capacities are capped at 20 percent and 50 percent respectively.
- Businesses doing personal care services, such as salons, parlors and barbershops, are also allowed to resume operations in a 30 percent capacity.
- Outdoor tourist attractions can reopen at a 30 percent capacity.
MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) events, indoor sports courts, and indoor tourist attractions in localities classified as ‘GCQ with heightened restrictions, however, are prohibited from operating.
Last Friday, July 30, the national government announced that the entire island of Cebu will be shifting to a Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) status, starting August 1 until August 15, to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections here.
All local governments here made their respective appeals to the IATF not to proceed in implementing MECQ.
RELATED STORIES
LOOK: MECQ implementation in Lapu-Lapu City starts
Cebu City officially appeals against MECQ
Mandaue prepares for MECQ while waiting for reply of MGCQ appeal
Chan to IATF: Let Lapu-Lapu MGCQ stay; have uniform quarantine status in Cebu