MANILA, Aug 18 (NNN-PNA) – Restrictions to curb COVID-19 spread in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila and the four provinces around it will be lessened, to allow the economy to open up.
Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte, last night, placed Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, under a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) starting Aug 19 until Aug 31.
Presidential spokesperson, Harry Roque, said, the rest of the country are placed under an even more relaxed modified general community quarantine.
“We need to open the economy, while refreshing the government’s responses to COVID-19,” Roque said.
On Aug 4, Duterte placed Metro Manila and the four provinces under stricter quarantine measures anew, for two weeks until Aug 18, due to the spike of infections in these areas.
The Philippines now has 164,474 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 2,681 deaths and 112,759 recoveries.– NNN-PNA
