PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Monday, August 17 that the government will relax quarantine measures in Metro Manila, beginning Wednesday, August 19.
The provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal were also placed under a general community quarantine (GCQ) that will last on August 31.
Other areas placed under GCQ are Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Quezon in Luzon; Iloilo City, Cebu City, Lapu Lapu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, the municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu province in the Visayas.
Under GCQ, nearly all industries will be allowed to reopen and restaurants will be allowed to resume dine-in operations. Religious activities, meanwhile, will be allowed to resume at 30% capacity.
The rest of the country is placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque stressed that Filipinos should observe home isolation to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus.
“Ang general rule pa rin po talaga, kung hindi naman magta-trabaho eh huwag na pong lumabas. ‘Yun po talaga ang general rule natin (The general rule is if you will not work, do not leave your home. That’s our general rule),” he said.
More public transport routes, PUVs in NCR
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said there will be more public transportation routes and public utility vehicles (PUV) available in Metro Manila during GCQ.
“The LTFRB will be opening up additional routes for PUV, UV, and buses. We have done so on the commitment that we’re going to open up every week,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said.
He added that it will continue until “there are enough routes running on the roads.”
Delgra also reminded the riding public that face shields are now required in all forms of public transport across the country, on top of wearing face masks, physical distancing, and other health and safety protocols mandated by the government.
Cebu Pacific to resume domestic flights
Local airline Cebu Pacific announced on Tuesday, August 18 that it will be resuming some of its domestic flights during the GCQ.
“Cebu Pacific and Cebgo will resume domestic passenger flights to and from Manila on August 19, 2020,” the airline company said in its advisory.
Cebu Pacific will resume the following domestic flights:
Luzon
• Cebu – Clark – Cebu every Tuesday and Saturday
• Manila – Cauayan – Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
• Manila – Legazpi – Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
• Manila – Masbate – Manila every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• Manila – San Jose – Manila every Tuesday and Saturday
• Manila – Virac – Manila every Monday and Friday
Visayas
• Manila – Bacolod – Manila every Tuesday and Thursday
• Manila – Boracay – Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
• Manila – Cebu – Manila 10 times weekly
• Manila – Dumaguete – Manila every Wednesday and Thursday
• Manila – Iloilo every Tuesday
• Iloilo – Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
• Manila – Kalibo – Manila every Wednesday and Saturday
• Manila – Roxas every Thursday
• Roxas – Manila every Thursday and Saturday
• Manila – Tacloban – Manila twice daily
Mindanao
• Cebu – Davao – Cebu every Tuesday
• Manila – Butuan – Manila every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
• Manila – Cagayan de Oro – Manila 18 times weekly
• Manila – Cotabato – Manila once daily starting Aug. 24
• Manila – Davao – Manila every Monday and Wednesday
• Manila – Dipolog – Manila once daily
• Manila – General Santos – Manila every Monday and Thursday
• Manila – Ozamiz – Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
• Manila – Pagadian – Manila 10 times weekly
• Manila – Zamboanga – Manila every Wednesday and Friday
Cebu Pacific will also operate Cebu – Clark – Cebu every Tuesday and Saturday as well as Cebu – Davao – Cebu every Tuesday from its other hubs.
“We also intend to operate limited international routes, namely: Manila-Dubai-Manila, Manila-Seoul (Incheon), Tokyo (Narita)-Manila, Manila-Singapore-Manila, and Manila-Taipei-Manila,” the airline said.
