A year after the start of a chaotic lockdown that left many people out of work and damaged the country’s economy, the Philippine government has announced a new classification of quarantine measures in the midst of rising Covid19 cases.
NCR plus, where is this?
Authorities announced the new stricter guidelines to cover the areas of Metro Manila-Rizal-Bulacan-Cavite-Laguna.
According to National Task Force vs Covid-19 spokesman Restituto Padilla these locations are called the “NCR plus.”
What is a bubble?
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that the ‘NCR plus’ are now under a ‘GCQ bubble’
A bubble is an area where entry and exit are restricted— except during emergencies.
In other words, a bubble is aimed at preventing infected people from getting in or getting out.
Travel to and from the bubble–in this case, the ‘NCR plus’ locations–will not be allowed unless considered essential.
Who are allowed to go in and out of the bubble?
Those allowed to get in and out of the bubble are authorized persons outside their residences (APORs), which include the following:
- essential workers with valid identification cards
- health and emergency frontline service personnel
- government officials
- credited humanitarian assistance workers
- -persons traveling for humanitarian reasons
- -persons going for travel abroad
- -persons crossing zones for work or business or going back home
- -returning overseas Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers
These new protocols are currently in effect from March 22 to April 4, which covers the annual celebration of Holy Week in the Philippines.