Despite rising COVID-19 cases, Palace says NCR reverting to MECQ not foregone conclusion

July 28, 2020

Malacañang does not see yet Metro Manila to be placed again under a stricter quarantine status despite the surge in the coronavirus disease cases.

In a virtual press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said bringing back the National Capital Region under the modified enhanced community quarantine would depend on several factors, including the case doubling rate and critical care capacity.

He noted that the case doubling rate in Metro Manila was at 7 to 9 days, but now it is at 8.9 days.

"Our case doubling rate now in Metro Manila has improved compared to the rest of the world," he said.

If to use the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, he said the 8 days for case doubling rate is equivalent to general community quarantine.

As to critical care capacity, Roque said it is at 54 percent although the capacity of the intensive care units is still at dangerous level at 70 percent.

"So let us see what will be the decision, but it's not a foregone conclusion that we will go back to MECQ, because our case doubling rate is not worsening, it's slightly improving," he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to announce before August 1 the new quarantine classification for different parts of the country.

Prior to Duterte's announcement, the IATF will consult with the local government units on their possible new quarantine status so that they could still make an appeal.

"As in the past, before August 1, we will know the new classifications," Roque said. Celerina Monte/DMS