Duterte wants to consult businessmen on quarantine classifications

June 16, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte said he would talked with the businessmen regarding the quarantine classifications in the country.

"Later on as we ramble on probably tomorrow or day after, after I shall have talked to the businessmen, then we can decide whether or not we can still modify the modified lockdown that we have imposed," Duterte said during a televised message on Monday night.

The President has approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for the new quarantine classifications for the provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities starting June 16 until the end of the month.

Cebu City has been placed under lockdown or enhanced community quarantine while its nearby Talisay City, under modified ECQ.

Metro Manila and a few other areas have remained under the general community quarantine while most parts of the country, under modified GCQ. 

In a virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte's meeting with the businessmen could be on the possible classifications after June 30.

At the same time, Roque said the public, particularly the residents in Metro Manila, could expect "expanded localized lockdown."

He said the IATF recent resolution has been giving the mayors the power to enforce lockdowns on the basis of barangays, zones, roads, subdivisions or buildings.

"This is a way to slowdown the spread of the virus because we all know that we also need to open the economy," the official said. Celerina Monte/DMS