Malacañang on Monday downgraded the quarantine classification in the National Capital Region (NCR) to general community quarantine (GCQ) from Sept. 8 to 30.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said localized or granular lockdowns, however, will be piloted in the NCR during the GCQ period with comprehensive details on the guidelines to be issued on Tuesday.

“During this period, the guidelines for pilot areas shall be observed, supplemented by the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) omnibus guidelines on the implementation of community quarantine in the Philippines amended,” Roque said.

Roque said once the piloted granular lockdowns become effective, placing different community quarantine classifications in various areas may not be observed anymore.

“ It’s only a pilot in Metro Manila. So, you’re right, maybe, time will come that community quarantine classifications will not be needed anymore but we are piloting this first so still it’s not sure,” he said in Filipino.

Metro Manila is currently placed under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) after being placed under the most restrictive ECQ from Aug. 6 to 20 amid the threat of highly transmissible Delta coronavirus variant.

Quarantine classifications

Roque also reported different community quarantine classifications in various areas nationwide from Sept. 8 to 30 as per the IATF-EID omnibus guidelines.

Placed under MECQ from Sept. 8 to 30 are the provinces of Apayao, Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, and Iloilo, and the cities of Lucena, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro.

Caraga region; the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Quezon, Batangas, Antique, Capiz, Cebu Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao Del Norte, Davao de Oro, and Davao Occidental, and the cities of Naga, Lapu-Lapu, Bacolod, Davao, and Butuan will be placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions.

Aside from NCR, areas to be placed under regular GCQ from Sept. 8 to 30 include the provinces of Kalinga, Abra, Quirino, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac, Occidental Mindoro, Aklan, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao Del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Lanao del Sur, and the cities of Baguio, Dagupan, Santiago, Cebu, Mandaue, Zamboanga, Iligan, General Santos, and Cotabato.

The rest of the areas nationwide will be under modified GCQ.

Roque said the travel restrictions for international passengers coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia “are now lifted effective today.”