MECQ. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on Monday (Sept. 7, 2020). Duterte placed Lanao del Sur and BAcolod City under modified enhanced community quarantine due to rising coronavirus cases. (Karl Normal Alonzo/Presidential photo)
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the province of Lanao del Sur and the city of Bacolod under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from September 8 to 30.
This after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) recorded a spike in Covid-19 cases in the two areas.
“It is hereby resolved, that the IATF approves the recommendation of the National Chief Implementer of the Philippines’ Declared National Policy Against Covid-19 to place Lanao del Sur and the City of Bacolod under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from 8 September 2020 until 30 September 2020,” IATF resolution no. 69-A read.
During the meeting with members of the IATF-EID, National Policy Against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. personally requested to have the province reverted to MECQ.
“When we visited Iligan City and also the areas of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur and also part of Region 10, we met the different LGUs. The Lanao del Sur governor, Gov. Adiong he’s recommending that they be placed on MECQ which I consulted Sec. (Eduardo) Año and we recommended to the IATF for the upgrading of Lanao del Sur as MECQ considering it is contiguous to Iligan City and its cases also rising up, sir,” Galvez said.
Galvez said that cases in Bacolod are much higher than cases in Iligan City, which is currently under MECQ.
“Based on the recommendation of the NTF and also with consultation with the Mayor of Bacolod City, the cases of Bacolod is much higher than Iligan City, who is also on MECQ, so we will recommend also that Bacolod City be placed on MECQ as recommended by the IATF,” he said.
MECQ is the second most strict quarantine classification.
There are currently three areas under MECQ namely Lanao del Sur, Bacolod City, and Iligan City.
Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Batangas and the city of Tacloban are under general community quarantine (GCQ).
The rest of the Philippines are placed under modified GCQ.
As of Monday, the country has recorded a total of 238,727 confirmed Covid-19 cases of which 3,890 are deaths and 184,906 are recoveries. (PNA)
