MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte will address the nation on Friday morning, July 31, to announce new community quarantine classifications to slow down the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
This was confirmed by Senator Bong Go and Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday evening.
UPDATE: Metro Manila stays under GCQ until August 15
Roque earlier said there's already a recommendation from the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) but subject for appeal by the local government units (LGUs).
“I can’t announce it because the President will be the one to make the announcement on Thursday if I’m not mistaken,” he said.
LIVESTREAM: President Rodrigo Duterte's address (July 31, 2020)
For Metro Manila, the IATF recommends for general community quarantine (GCQ) extension after July 31. Mayors of the capital region also expressed support to this plan considering the balance between health and economy.
"Ang IATF nag-meeting na at ang irerekomenda sa Office of the President ay i-maintain ang GCQ sa Metro Manila," Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Danilo Lim said in an interview with GMA News TV.
"Wala silang reklamo na i-maintain 'yung GCQ," he added.
Recently, Roque warned that NCR may revert to stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) by August 1 if the number of COVID-19 cases in the country meet the projection of the University of the Philippines (UP) – 85,000 cases by the end of July.
The Department of Health (DOH) announced Thursday, July 30, that the nationwide COVID total was at 89,374 after a record-breaking 3,954 new confirmed cases were reported today. Most of the cases were logged in NCR and Cebu province, 1,703 and 958, respectively. The health department also announced 38,075 recoveries based on time-based tagging methodology.
Roque earlier said that case doubling rate and the critical care capacity in the metropolis have improved.
“Dalawa kasi iyong criteria ‘no, the case doubling rate and our case doubling rate is fine – we’re now at 8.9 (days). We actually improved because the higher the case doubling rate is, the longer is the better,” Roque said.
“It’s critical care capacity that’s the problem because ICU beds, we have reached mga around 80 percent. But there are steps that can be done – rationalization of hospital beds, including ICU beds is a solution and if we have to, we will build more ICU beds really, for as long as the case doubling rate is under control,” he added.
Aside from the NCR, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Lapu Lapu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion City, Minglanilla (Cebu), Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga City, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte and Basilan are presently under GCQ.
Only Cebu City is currently under MECQ.
— The Summit Express
 |
| President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives Complex in Quezon City on July 27, 2020. Photo Credit: PCOO |
This was confirmed by Senator Bong Go and Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday evening.
UPDATE: Metro Manila stays under GCQ until August 15
Roque earlier said there's already a recommendation from the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) but subject for appeal by the local government units (LGUs).
“I can’t announce it because the President will be the one to make the announcement on Thursday if I’m not mistaken,” he said.
LIVESTREAM: President Rodrigo Duterte's address (July 31, 2020)
Kumusta Po Mahal Kong Kababayan? | President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Meeting on COVID-19 Concerns and Talk to the People on COVID-19 Malacañang Golf (MALAGO) Clubhouse
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte provides updates on the latest quarantine status that will be applied in Metro Manila and in various localities, as well as in areas with substantial number of reported Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, for the period of August 1 to 15, 2020.
The President also tackles various recommendations submitted by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) such as enforcing massive and intensified testing, and shares the government’s anticipation to procure vaccines for COVID-19 before the end of the year or once these become available in the market.
Talking to his kababayans, he calls for everyone’s cooperation to revive the country’s economy amid the ongoing health crisis brought by the pandemic, and urges them to maintain the minimum health standards and other safety protocols laid out by the IATF-EID.
#HealAsOne
#2020DuterteVision
#DuterteLegacy
#ComfortableLifeForAll
#PartnerForChange
Posted by Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines) on Thursday, July 30, 2020
For Metro Manila, the IATF recommends for general community quarantine (GCQ) extension after July 31. Mayors of the capital region also expressed support to this plan considering the balance between health and economy.
"Ang IATF nag-meeting na at ang irerekomenda sa Office of the President ay i-maintain ang GCQ sa Metro Manila," Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Danilo Lim said in an interview with GMA News TV.
"Wala silang reklamo na i-maintain 'yung GCQ," he added.
Recently, Roque warned that NCR may revert to stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) by August 1 if the number of COVID-19 cases in the country meet the projection of the University of the Philippines (UP) – 85,000 cases by the end of July.
The Department of Health (DOH) announced Thursday, July 30, that the nationwide COVID total was at 89,374 after a record-breaking 3,954 new confirmed cases were reported today. Most of the cases were logged in NCR and Cebu province, 1,703 and 958, respectively. The health department also announced 38,075 recoveries based on time-based tagging methodology.
Roque earlier said that case doubling rate and the critical care capacity in the metropolis have improved.
“Dalawa kasi iyong criteria ‘no, the case doubling rate and our case doubling rate is fine – we’re now at 8.9 (days). We actually improved because the higher the case doubling rate is, the longer is the better,” Roque said.
“It’s critical care capacity that’s the problem because ICU beds, we have reached mga around 80 percent. But there are steps that can be done – rationalization of hospital beds, including ICU beds is a solution and if we have to, we will build more ICU beds really, for as long as the case doubling rate is under control,” he added.
Aside from the NCR, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Lapu Lapu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion City, Minglanilla (Cebu), Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga City, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte and Basilan are presently under GCQ.
Only Cebu City is currently under MECQ.
— The Summit Express
