IATF reverts 37 provinces to modified GCQ

MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has reverted 37 provinces and 11 cities from “low-risk” areas to modified general community quarantine (GCQ).

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año yesterday made the clarification after presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. announced on Tuesday that the areas were no longer under quarantine.

“Many local chief executives, governors and mayors have filed a petition/request asking that they should not be removed from the community quarantine as they are not yet prepared for the transition,” Año said during a virtual presser at Malacañang.

He said there would be an amendment which would be approved during the IATF meeting so that the 37 provinces in eight regions and 11 cities under the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao) are placed under modified GCQ.

The IATF identified the low-risk provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities as Ilocos Norte and Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City in Ilocos region; Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan and Puerto Princesa City in Mimaropa; and Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Legazpi City and Naga City in Bicol.

Low-risk areas cover Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City, Bacolod City in Western Visayas and Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City and Tacloban City in Eastern Visayas.

In Mindanao, the areas included are Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City in Northern Mindanao and North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and General Santos City in SOCCKSARGEN.

In the BARMM are Basilan,  Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Cotabato City.

The IATF was still meeting at press time yesterday to map out the guidelines for local chief executives on what to do under the modified GCQ, still aimed at preventing the transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in other areas.

Once quarantine is lifted, Año said it is expected that there would be a spike in the number of positive cases that might trigger the second or third wave of the disease.

“We no longer have any areas which is not under community quarantine in the Philippines. The community quarantine has different levels, where the low-risk areas are classified under modified community quarantine,” Año said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III admitted that he might have signed the IATF Resolution 35 without complete knowledge on the impact of the lifting of quarantine in affected areas, prompting the IATF to review the decision.

Like the rest of the country, officials have underscored the need to maintain minimum health protocols such as wearing of face masks, social distancing, proper hygiene, washing of hands and checking of body temperature. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Ed Amoroso, Gilbert Bayoran, Mayen Jaymalin