MANILA – Beginning tomorrow (Sept. 8), Aklan would shift to the regular general community quarantine (GCQ) for the remainder of September after being placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in mid-July.
President Rodrigo Duterte approved this recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
Quarantine levels for the rest of Western Visayas, meanwhile, will remain until the end of the month: Iloilo city and province, MECQ; Bacolod City, Antique and Capiz, GCQ with heightened restrictions; and Negros Occidental and Guimaras, GCQ.
GRANULAR LOCKDOWN?
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, there is a possibility of Western Visayas shifting to “granular lockdown” this month if the pilot test in the National Capital Region is successful.
“Tama kayo, baka dumating ang puntong wala ng community quarantine classifications. Pero ipa-pilot pa ito, so ‘di pa sigurado,” Roque said during Malacañang’s virtual presser yesterday.
The IATF-MEID opted to pilot the “granular lockdown” in Metro Manila before having it in the entire country.
Roque said the specific guidelines will be announced today.
There were hopes for a policy shift in Western Visayas and other parts of the country by Sept. 8 since the IATF-MEID only released quarantine classification until Sept. 7 late last month./PN
