IATF “provisionally” OKs policy shift on quarantine classifications

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THE Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has “provisionally” ratified the guidelines covering the pilot imposition of the COVID-19 alert system in the National Capital Region (NCR).

In a virtual briefing on Friday, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has announced that Metro Manila will now be placed only either of the two quarantine classifications such as enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as a more stringent lockdown enforced by IATF or general community quarantine (GCQ) which will be determined based on the alert level of a certain city or municipality.

Dalawa na lang po ang classifications natin. Kapag ECQ, iyan po ay ipapataw po ng IATF. Pero, kung hindi po ECQ, ang classification po [ay] GCQ,” the spokesman stated.

The execution of GCQ, however, is not similar to the usual relaxed lockdown for the region. Pursuant to the new guidelines, any area placed under GCQ is subject to restriction depending on its alert level.

Furthermore, instead of permitting authorized persons outside of residence (APORs) to abruptly enter and exit a specific jurisdiction, under revised GCQ, only medical and allied health professionals, leaving and returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and individuals in an emergency encounter will be allowed to do so. 

Hindi po iyan GCQ na alam na natin kung paano maipapatupad. Ang GCQ po na ito ay nakabase po doon sa alert level na nakapataw sa iba’t ibang siyudad at munisipyo. Hindi po gaya ng dati na labas-pasok ang mga APORs. Ngayon, ang puwede na lang pumasok ay iyong mga medical and allied medical professionals. Pangalawa, iyong mga bumabalik na OFW o iyong mga aalis na OFW at siyempre po iyong mayroon mga emergency,” Roque clarified.

The Palace official, however, assured that despite the community quarantine, local government units (LGUs) together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), will continue the distribution of financial aid through the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to ensure that no individual nor family would be needing to go outside their residence during the lockdown.

While the new scheme hopes to revive industries and maintain their operations, Roque reminded that in the event that a business is located in a community considered under alert level 4, dine in, personal care services, and mass gathering will not remain prohibited.

Itong bagong policy shift po ay ninanais na magpatuloy po iyong mga industriya na nananatiling bukas po sa GCQ. Kaya nga lang po hindi ibig-sabihin na palibhasa bukas ang industriya, puwede na ang dine in at saka ang personal services at mass gatherings. Kapag nasa alert level 4, hindi pa rin pinapayagan ‘yan,” Roque said.

According to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Epimaco Densing, the department expects that the pilot implementation of granular lockdowns will be effective on September 16 to 30. 

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