Several cities and municipalities will start the imposition of curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Monday,  March 16 until April 14, 2020, upon recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), chaired by Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III.

A “community quarantine” has also been imposed during this period.

Curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the city in light of the threat of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be implemented Monday, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said on Sunday.

In a Facebook Live video, Domagoso noted that the implementation of curfew is in line with the local government’s Code COVID-19 Contain and Delay response plan against the transmission of the virus.

“May bago pong curfew na magaganap sa lungsod ng Maynila. Simula alas otso ng gabi hanggang alas singko ng umaga, paiiralin ang curfew sa Manila,” Domagoso said.

Domagoso said a resident may only be allowed to go out during curfew hours in cases of emergency, and for purposes of buying basic needs and fulfilling work-related requirements.

“During the curfew hours, no person will be allowed in the streets, commercial establishments, recreation centers, malls or other areas outside the immediate vicinity of their residence,” the mayor stressed.

On Saturday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Jojo Garcia announced that all the mayors in the Metro Manila area agreed to issue a resolution to impose a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., starting from March 15 until April 14.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday clarified that the imposition and implementation of a curfew on Metro Manila depended on the ordinances yet to be passed by local government units (LGUs).

Muntinlupa City on Saturday night has approved an ordinance imposing a curfew in the city from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting March 16, 2020.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Sunday said he wrote the City Council to ask them to have a special session on Sunday afternoon to discuss the imposition of curfew starting 8 p.m. Sunday.

Metro Manila has been  placed under community quarantine beginning 12:01 a.m. on Sunday as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19./Stacy Ang