ECQ, surgical lockdown in Boracay villages lifted

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Starting 11:59 p.m. of April 14, 2021, two villages in Boracay Island have reverted to the more permissive Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

In an advisory Wednesday, the Malay local government said that the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Barangay Balabag and the surgical lockdown in Zones 1 and 7 in Barangay Manocmanoc had been lifted.

The easing of quarantine classification was decided after the island recorded fewer COVID-19 positive cases.

Still, the local government stressed that they would implement several rules despite the lifting of the ECQ and surgical lockdown.

Among these measures are:

* Operation of bars is still prohibited.

* Restaurants and Food Parks with live shows and music still prohibited.

* Cockfighting and operation of cockpits are still prohibited.

* Non-essential gatherings are prohibited.

* Curfew hours shall remain from 11:00PM – 4:00AM.

* Wearing of face masks and face shields at all times is still required.

* Church capacity is reduced to 30% of its seating capacity.

* Minimum Public Health Standards must be observed at all times.

On April 13, the Malay Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 recorded only four new confirmed cases and 16 new recoveries.

The new record brought the total confirmed cases to 179 with active cases at 38.

Barangay Balabag has one new case and 14 active cases while Manoc-Manoc village has one new case and 13 active cases.

On the other hand, Yapak has two new cases and 10 active cases while Caticlan has one active case.

Barangays Argao and Cubay have no active case.

Prior to that, the Malay local government has placed Zones 5 and 6 of Barangay Balabag under surgical lockdown for fourteen days, which started 12:00 midnight of March 28 until 12 midnight of April 10, 2021 following the surge of cases.