President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to maintain the current quarantine status of Bacolod City and Negros Occidental from August 16 to 31, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Friday, August 13.
Bacolod City will remain under General Community Quarantine with Heightened Restrictions and Negros Occidental under GCQ.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia pointed out that despite the detection of two Delta variant cases in Bacolod, the COVID-19 cases in the city have been on the decline.
The GCQ-HR will prevent large mass gatherings that will help curb the spread of COVID-19 variants in the city, he said.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said there is no need for him to issue a new executive order since in his previous EO he placed Negros Occidental under GCQ until August 31.
The Department of Health has classified Bacolod and Negros Occidental as low risk areas for COVID-19.
Bacolod is under Alert Level 2 and Negros Occidental in under Alert Level 1, it added.
Negros Oriental will remain under GCQ-HR, while Iloilo City and Iloilo province will be under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine.*