Malacañang said President Duterte is yet to approve the recommendation to include Albay Province and Zamboanga City under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the announcement over state-run PTV-4 after the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Diseases recommended to leave the two geographical areas under the ECQ instead of placing them under the general community quarantine (GCQ).
“Iyong rekumendasyon po ng IATF para po sa Albay at sa Zamboanga ay pinadala na po sa Presidente para sa kaniyang approval – kinakailangan pa po iyan ng approval ng ating Presidente,” he said.
Roque explained that under President Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) No. 112, provincial governors can place component cities and municipalities under the ECQ following the approval of the local IATF. The same applies to mayors of highly-urbanized cities if they want to place certain barangays under ECQ.
However, if a governor wants to place the entire province under ECQ, it needs to have the approval of the central IATF.
On Friday, Malacañang released EO No. 112 issued by President Duterte placing nine geographical areas considered as high-risk under the ECQ. These are the following: National Capital Region, Central Luzon except for Aurora Province, CALABARZON, Benguet Province, Pangasinan Province, Iloilo Province, Cebu Province, Bacolod City, and Davao City.
Meanwhile, a GCQ is imposed in all other areas in the country provided that minimum health standards are achieved and continuously observed in those areas. (Argyll Geducos)