MECQ takes effect and here’s what you need to know

by Elton Gagni / April 12, 2021

As the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine concluded, the government announced new classifications for various areas and regions to better control the health situation across the country.

According to the Inter-Agency Task Force’s (IATF) Resolution No. 109, the reclassification of the following areas is in effect from April 12-30, 2021:

Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)

• National Capital Region (NCR)
• Bulacan
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Rizal
• Santiago
• Quirino
• Abra

The City Mayors of Metro Manila have also agreed to adjust the curfew hours to 8:00PM to 5:00AM while MECQ is in place.

Read also: Refreshed Perspective: Your guide to surviving MECQ again

General Community Quarantine (GCQ)

• Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
• Cagayan
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Batangas
• Tacloban City
• Iligan City
• Davao City
• Lanao Del Sur
• Quezon

Read also: Safe and informed, living from a distance

The rest of the Philippines or areas that were not mentioned in any of the previous categories are automatically placed under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

Under MECQ, the government’s priority is focused on increasing dedicated COVID-19 beds in isolation, quarantine, and health facilities, decongesting of hospitals, enjoining LGUs to set-up their respective local telehealth triaging systems equipped with sufficient medical personnel, and Ensuring the continued responsive and timely payment of reimbursement claims for COVID-19 by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

The IATF has also recommended the use of the StaySafe.PH app to strengthen and improve automatic contact tracing through Smart Messaging System. Initial beta-testing of the Smart Messaging System will be done in the consortium of Antipolo and Cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong and Valenzuela on May 1, 2021. This will be led by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT), and the Department of Health (DOH).

As of April, 11 2021, 4:00 PM COVID-19 Update, the Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 864,868 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 11,681 of which are new cases, bringing the number of active cases to 146,519. There are 55,204 people who recovered from the disease, increasing the total number of recoveries to 703,404. However, 201 more died, increasing the local death toll to 14,945.

Read also:

• Virtual Presser on the Announcement of Enhanced Community Quarantine | March 27, 2021
• A brief review: The Philippines and COVID-19 after a year in lockdown
• Facts vs Myths: What you need to know about the COVID-19 Vaccine
• Act more like a woman: Women as effective leaders during crisis