MECQ Guidelines | From IATF and Malacañang Palace

This is the latest Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) Guidelines released by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

What is Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)?

It refers to the transition phase between ECQ and GCQ when the following temporary measures are relaxed and become less necessary: stringent limits on movement and transportation of people, strict regulation of operating industries, provision of food and essential services, and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine protocols.

Areas Under MECQ

The following provinces will undergo MECQ starting August 4 until August 18, 2020.

  • Metro Manila
  • Bulacan
  • Laguna
  • Cavite
  • Rizal

Read Also: DOTr Transport Protocols During ECQ, MECQ, and GCQ

Approved MECQ Guidelines

  1. Minimum public health standards shall be complied with at all times for the duration of the MECQ.
  2. Strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households, and the movement of all residents shall still be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in permitted offices or establishments or such other activities listed hereunder.
  3. Any person below twenty-one (21) years old, those who are sixty (60) years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services, for work in industries and offices or such other activities permitted in this Section.
  4. The following shall be allowed to operate at full operational capacity:
    1. All establishments, persons, or activities permitted to operate, work, or be undertaken under Section 2(4) of these Guidelines;
    2. Media establishments, without the need of PCOO accreditation;
    3. BPOs and export-oriented establishments, without need to set up onsite or near-site accommodation arrangements;
    4. E-commerce companies;
    5. Other postal and courier services, as well as delivery services for articles or products not mentioned under Section 2 of these Omnibus Guidelines;
    6. Rental and leasing, other than real estates, such as vehicles and equipment for permitted sectors;
    7. Employment activities that involve the recruitment and placement for permitted sectors; and
    8. Housing services activities, such as but not limited to plumbing, roofing, and electrical works.
    1. Other manufacturing industries classified as beverages, including alcoholic drinks; electrical machinery; wood products and furniture; non-metallic products; textiles and clothing/wearing apparels; tobacco products; paper and paper products; rubber and plastic products; coke and refined petroleum products; other non-metallic mineral products; computers, electronic and optical products; electrical equipment; machinery and equipment; motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers; other transport equipment; and others;
    2. Other real estate activities;
    3. Administrative and office support such as, but not limited to, providing photocopying and billing services;
    4. Other financial services not mentioned in Section 2 of these Omnibus Guidelines, such as money exchange, insurance, reinsurance, and non-compulsory pension funding;
    5. Legal and accounting services;
    6. Management consultancy services or activities;
    7. Architectural and engineering activities, including technical testing and analysis;
    8. Science and technology, and research and development;
    9. Recruitment and placement agencies for overseas employment.
    10. Advertising and market research;
    11. Computer programming and information management services;
    12. Publishing and printing services;
    13. Film, music and television production;
    14. Photography, fashion, and industrial, graphic and interior design;
    15. Wholesale and retail trade of vehicles and their parts and components;
    16. Repair and maintenance of vehicles as well as its parts or components, including car wash services;
    17. Malls and commercial centers, subject to the guidelines issued by the DTI;
    18. Dining establishments and restaurants, but for delivery and take-out only;
    19. Hardware stores;
    20. Clothing and accessories;
    21. Bookstore and school and office supplies;
    22. Baby or infant care supplies;
    23. Pet food and pet care supplies;
    24. Information technology, communications, and electronic equipment;
    25. Flower, jewelry, novelty, antique and perfume shops; and
    26. Toy stores, ​Provided, ​that their playgrounds and amusement areas, if any, shall remain closed;
    27. Firearms and ammunition trading establishments, subject to strict regulation of the PNP-Firearms and Explosives Office; and
    28. Pastors, priests, rabbi, imams, and other religious ministers insofar as providing home religious services to households. ​Provided that proper protocols shall be observed, such as social distancing, wearing of face masks, and the like.The following offices, establishments or individuals conducting or providing the following activities or services are allowed to operate at fifty percent (50%) operational capacity while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements, where applicable:
  5. Agencies and instrumentalities of the government, including GOCCs, as well as LGUs, may operate with a skeleton workforce in combination with other alternative work arrangements as approved by the head of agency unless a different operational capacity is required in agencies providing health and emergency frontline services, border control, and other critical services.
  6. Accredited diplomatic missions and international organizations shall be advised to operate under a skeleton workforce, without prejudice to alternative work arrangements as the said missions or organizations may deem proper.
  7. Hotels or accommodation establishments shall not be allowed to operate.
  8. Mass gatherings such as but not limited to, movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment activities, community assemblies, and non-essential work gatherings shall be prohibited. Gatherings that are for the provision of critical government services and authorized humanitarian activities while adhering to the prescribed minimum health standards shall be allowed. Religious gatherings shall be limited to not more than five (5) persons until otherwise modified through subsequent issuances of the IATF.
  9. Face-to-face or in-person classes at all levels shall be suspended.
  10. Public transportation shall be suspended. This notwithstanding, commissioned shuttle services for employees of permitted offices or establishments, as well as point-to-point transport services provided by the government shall be allowed to operate, giving priority to healthcare workers.
  11. Private transportation such as company shuttles and personal vehicles utilized by persons authorized outside their residences are allowed subject to the guidelines provided by DOTr. The use of bikes and other non-motorized transportation is strongly encouraged.
  12. Limited operations in malls and shopping centers shall be allowed, except for leisure establishments and services which shall continue to be closed. ​Provided, that establishments and services allowed to operate in malls and shopping centers may only operate at a capacity consistent with items (4) and (5) of this Section. Provided, further​, those below twenty-one (21) years old, and those sixty (60) years old and above and those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, may not enter malls and shopping centers except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services or for work in establishments located therein. ​Provided, finally, that such operations must comply with the guidelines of the DTI until otherwise modified through subsequent issuances of the IATF.
  13. In addition to those allowed and enumerated construction projects under Section 2 of these Guidelines, other essential and priority public and private construction projects shall be allowed, subject to compliance with the DPWH construction safety guidelines: Provided, however, that small scale-projects as defined by the DPWH shall not be allowed.
  14. The following shall not be allowed to operate within an area under MECQ:
    1. Tourist destinations such as water parks, reservation service, and related services;
    2. Entertainment industries such as cinemas, theaters, and karaoke bars;
    3. Kid amusement industries such as playroom and kiddy rides;
    4. Libraries, archives, museums, and cultural centers;
    5. Gyms, fitness studios and sports facilities; and
    6. Personal care services such as massage parlors, sauna, facial care, and waxing.
  15. The provisions relative to the processing of payrolls, the RapidPass system, the use of government-owned or hired vehicles, and identification cards for humanitarian assistance actors and public and private employees in areas under ECQ shall likewise apply in areas under MECQ.

  16.  Individual outdoor exercises such as outdoor walks, jogging, running, or biking are allowed within MECQ areas. ​Provided, ​that the minimum health standards and precautions such as the wearing of masks and the maintenance of social distancing protocols are observed.
  17.  Other exemptions from the ECQ through previous IATF resolutions or issuances by the Office of the President shall also be applied in MECQ.

Other Quarantine Guidelines:

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4 Comments

  1. Sana bigyan nyo rin ng ayuda yung mga individual na nagtatrabaho tulad ng waiter sa restaurant kasi nangangailangan din namin ng ayuda kasi wala kaming trabaho di yung pinipili nyo ang mabibigyan ng ayuda parehas naman tayong mga filipino na nangangailan din lalo ngaung pandemya sana parehas ang pamimigay sana makarating ito sa pangulo thanks..

  2. Just want to suggest to our dearest leaders… the possibility of calling all non-board passers for doctors and nurses to apply as doctor/ nurse assistants to be assigned and supervised by licensed professionals during their engagement on the program. The perks that they gonna get after working for a specific number of hours will qualify them to be on conditional status.. and that the next board exam they must reach a specific percentage less than their ordinary passing rate of which is eligible for 1 take only.parameters will be set by the PRC. With this program we can add more doctors and nurses in our hospitals before we lift again stricter quarantine status with lesser costs for the government. Also, with this program there’ll be more medical frontliners substitutes so that our regular frontliners would have quality rest and not be overwhelmed by the pressure of influx of patients. Just suggesting. Thanks.

  3. Good day, sana umalis na ang Gobyernong Duterte sa WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION,KAYA NAMAN PO ANG DOH AT NG ATING GOBYERNO NA TUMAYO MAG ISA, SANA DIN PO MAGAMIT NA ANG FABUNAN ANTI VIRAL INJECTION PARA SA BANSA NATIN.. Sana patuloy kayong gabayan at ingatan ng Pinakamamahal na PANGINOONG JESUS MULA KAY TATAY DIGONG HANGGANG SA MGA NASA IBABA NIYA..MABUHAY PO ANG PILPINAS..MABUHAY PO TAYONG LAHAT..MAY OUR GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES..

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