THE National Capital Region (NCR) will revert to the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, Jr. said.The move comes as the OCTA Research Group called on national authorities to impose a two-week “circuit-breaker” or hard lockdown amid the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant.Starting on Friday, July 30, the national government will keep Metro Manila under general community quarantine (GCQ), subject to heightened restrictions, until August 5.Under GCQ with heightened restrictions, indoor dine-in services and al fresco dining will be prohibited. Only take-out and delivery are allowed.”For people working in these establishments, operations are allowed to continue and finish within the day,” said Roque.Indoor sports venues and tourist attractions and specialized markets of the Department of Tourism (DoT) will also be prohibited. But outdoor tourist spots, as defined by the DoT, may continue to operate at 30 percent capacity.Only virtual religious gatherings will be allowed. Public transportation shall not be affected, but the use of active transportation, like bicycles, will be promoted.Heightened restrictions will also allow personal care services, namely beauty salons, beauty parlors, barber shops, and nail spas, among others, to accommodate customers up to 30 percent of their capacity.Roque cautioned the public against panic buying, reiterating that essential establishments, such as groceries and public markets, will remain operational, even with the implementation of the ECQ.”Mahirap man, mapait man ang desisyon na ginawa natin, ito po ay para sa kabutihan ng lahat (This was a tough decision, but this is for the good of everyone),” he said.Aside from these, only authorized persons outside their residences (APOR) shall go in and out of the so-called NCR Plus. The bubble is composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.Following the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), Gingoog City, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, and Cagayan de Oro will remain under ECQ from August 1 to 7.Cebu City and Cebu province, meanwhile, will join the list of areas under modified enhanced community quarantine starting August 1 to 15, subject to the appeals of local chief executives.The other areas under MECQ are Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City.
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