Metro Manila, pilot area for 'granular' lockdowns, under GCQ from September 8

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila, which will serve as the pilot area for the implementation of a granular lockdown system, will revert to a less strict General Community Quarantine starting September 8 until the end of the month, Malacañang announced Monday. 

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said guidelines for the granular lockdowns will be released later Monday or Tuesday "at the latest" — a day before the shift to the new system is scheduled to take place. 

Roque also said the new classifications were approved by the government's pandemic task force, which means they are still subject to President Rodrigo Duterte's approval. Duterte, however, often decides to accept the task force's recommendations. 

The granular lockdown system was first confirmed by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on September 4 but Roque said the announcement was premature as there was no approved resolution from the pandemic task force at the time. 

READ: Granular lockdown system starts September 8

The palace spokesman added that he could not offer any further details on the new granular lockdown system at the moment. 

"During this period, the Guidelines for Pilot Areas shall be observed supplemented by the IATF Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, as amended," the resolution read.

Below is the full list of new quarantine classifications announced by Roque which will be implemented starting September 8: 

Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) :

• Apayao
• Bataan
• Bulacan
• Cavite
• Lucena City
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Iloilo province 
• Iloilo City 
• Cagayan de Oro City 

General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with "heightened restrictions": 

• Ilocos Sur
• Ilocos Norte
• Cagayan
• Pangasianan
• Quezon
• Batangas
• Naga City 
• Antique
• Bacolod City 
• Capiz
• Cebu province 
• Lapu-Lapu City 
• Negoros Oriental
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Misamis Oriental
• Davao City 
• Davao del Norte
• Davao de Oro
• Davao Occidental
• Butuan City 

GCQ

• Metro Manila
• Baguio City
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Benguet
• Dagupan City
• Santiago City 
• Quirino
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Tarlac
• Occidential Mindoro
• Puerto Princesa
• Aklan
• Guimaras
• Negros Occidental
• Cebu City 
• Mandaue City 
• Zamboanga Sibugay
• Zamboanga City 
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Misamis Occidental
• Iligan City 
• Davao Oriental
• Davao del Sur
• General Santos City 
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sarangani
• North Cotabato
• South Cotabato
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Cotabato City
• Lanao del Sur

— Bella Perez-Rubio with a report from James Relativo