The head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) denied on Saturday that Metro Manila Council Chairperson and Edwin Olivarez has issued a statement saying the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be extended until the end of this month.

MMDA Chairperson Benhur Abalos added that Olivarez, the concurrent Paranaque City mayor, talked with him and also clarified that there has been no meeting among NCR mayors to discuss the ECQ extension.

The imposition of the ECQ in Metro Manila started on August 6 and will lapse on August 20.

“The Metro Manila mayors are focused on monitoring the number of Covid-19 cases on their respective jurisdictions, vaccination rollout, and distribution of ‘ayuda’ or financial aid to low-income families affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) which will last until August 20, 2021,” Abalos said.

The MMDA chief added that any recommendation that will be made by the MMC shall be based on data, LGU capabilities, and experts’ (health and economic) studies.

Metro Manila or NCR is under the most restrictive ECQ until August 20 to curb the spike of Covid-19 cases and check the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant.