- Metro Manila and the municipality of Pateros along with the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal are under general community quarantine from March 22 to April 4
- Only essential travel is allowed to and from GCQ areas
- Public gatherings are prohibited
- Food establishments are limited to delivery, take-out or outdoor dining
- A common curfew will be imposed from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Workers, cargo vehicles, and public transportation are not restricted by the curfew
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, Metro Manila and the municipality of Pateros along with the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal have been placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) from March 22 to April 4.
Under Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution No. 164, dated March 20 and approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, the following rules are in place for GCQ areas in the next two weeks:
- Only essential travel is allowed to and from subject areas.
- Public gatherings are prohibited. This includes Mass gatherings, including those for religious purposes. In-person meetings are highly discouraged
- Weddings, baptisms and funeral services are limited to 10 persons.
- Food establishments are limited to delivery, take-out or outdoor dining, provided additional measures are in place such as dividers to limit the number of persons per table to two.
- Public transportation will continue to operate but at capacities set by the transportation department.
- A common curfew will be imposed between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Workers, cargo vehicles, and public transportation shall not be restricted by the curfew.
- Family visits outside immediate family or other households are strongly discouraged.
- The same prohibitions ordered by an earlier IATF resolution on March 18 that suspended the operations of businesses/industries, including driving schools, traditional cinema and video- and interactive- game arcades, libraries, archives, museums, and cultural centers, andlimited social events at accredited establishments of the Department of Tourism, remain.
- Any person below 18 years old and above 65 years old, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including persons who reside with the aforementioned, are required to stay home at all times, except when obtaining essential goods and services, or for work in their respective industries and offices.
The IATF resolution urged the private sector to adopt anew alternative work arrangements.
The Philippines on March 21 recorded 7,757 new COVID-19 cases, the third straight day that the country has reported over 7,000 additional infections.
