NCR to impose 8 pm to 4 am curfew starting Aug. 6
In a Palace briefing today, Aug. 2, MMDA chair Benhur Abalos said the NCR (National Capital Region), which will be under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) from Aug. 6 to 20, will impose an 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases recommended that ECQ be imposed due to the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.
The imposition of a liquor ban, on the other hand, is up to the local government units. “So far may mga LGUs kasi na nagsasabi na wala silang liquor ban kamukha ng Makati, Taguig, Pasig at Las Pinas. Nakikita naming ang Valenzuela, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Pasay, Navotas, Pateros, Quezon City at San Juan, may mga liquor ban. Pagdating sa liquor ban, kanya-kanya po," Abalos said.
In comparison with General Community Quarantine (GCQ with heightened restrictions, ECQ is more restrictive of people’s movement and operations of commercial establishments.
In NCR, takeout and delivery are the only options, making indoor dine-in and al fresco dining prohibited. For employees working in food establishments, operations in will continue.
Beauty services such as hair salons, barber shops, and nail spas may use only 30% of the venue's seating capacity.
Indoor areas and attractions under the Department of Tourism (DOT) are not allowed to operate while outdoor attractions are allowed but with only at 30% capacity.
There will be no physical religious gatherings permitted. Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for persons who died from causes other than COVID-19 are permitted as long as they are restricted to intimate family members.
Cargo delivery vehicles are free to enter and exit NCR while others will be subjected to checkpoints.
On Aug. 1, Metro Manila and other provinces such as Cavite, Laguna and Rizal started to implement their border controls. "Yung papasok ng NCR Plus at lalabas ng NCR Plus, pareho po yan iche-checkpoint," Abalos said.
Travel into and out of the NCR Plus, which includes Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal, will be allowed only for Authorized Persons Outside their Residences.
According to IATF Resolution No. 130-A, traveling to and out of NCR Plus will be prohibited a week before Metro Manila is placed under ECQ.
Banner photo by Michael Varcas/Philippine Star