Metro Manila is officially under 'community quarantine' due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the region, according to an official statement made by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte announced it on Thursday evening, as the Department of Health (DOH) raised alert level to Code Red Sublevel Two (2), which means that there is continuous transmission of the disease.
"Ayaw naming gamiting 'yan, pero kasi takot kayo sabihing lockdown, but it's a lockdown," Duterte said.
The order follows the Quarantine Act of 2004 which is mandated to "ensure security against the introduction and spread of infectious diseases to include the emerging diseases and public health emergencies of international concern."
Community quarantine, as recommended by the Department of Health Technical Advisory Group, imposes Stringent Social Distancing Measures in the National Capital Region (NCR) for 30 days.
Domestic air, sea, and land transport shall be suspended from March 15 to April 12, 2020, but mass public transport such as rail transit systems shall continue to operate.
The issuance of the resolution also includes the suspension of classes in all levels during the same period. However, the students shall continue to fulfill their academic requirements. The Department of Interior and Local Government is also instructed to ensure that students refrain from going to public places.
On the other hand, work from the executive branch shall also be suspended, but health and emergency frontline services shall continue to operate fully. Flexible work arrangements are advised in the private sector. All manufacturing, retail, and service establishments shall continue to operate but with strict social distancing measures to be observed by their respective managements.
Mass gatherings, either planned or spontaneous, shall also be prohibited.
Moreover, barangay-wide, municipality/city-wide, and province-wide quarantines shall also be imposed when there are at least two (2) positive cases belonging to different households in the same barangay, different barangays in the same municipality/city, component cities, or independent component cities in the same province. In addition, local government units (LGU) shall be allowed to have access with their Quick Response Fund.
Earlier this week, the country has declared a state of public health emergency and classes at all levels in Metro Manila started suspension since March 9, in a bid to contain the virus.
As of Thursday, the Philippines has confirmed 52 local COVID-19 patients.
The new coronavirus disease has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, as the number of infected countries grow to more than 100 while death toll rises to 4,600.
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