GMA News
Establishments allowed to operate under the NCR Plus bubble
The Philippine government has implemented stricter quarantine measures, creating an 'NCR Plus' bubble encompassing Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna, effective from March 22 to April 4.
These new protocols are described as a stricter general community quarantine (GCQ), not a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
Travel into and out of the bubble will be restricted to essential travel, though travel within the bubble is permitted.
Establishments and services not allowed to operate include mass gatherings (religious activities included), indoor dining, driving schools, traditional cinemas, video and interactive game arcades, libraries, museums, cockfighting, gyms, fitness centers, spas, and internet cafes.
However, open-air tourist attractions and outdoor dining at 50% capacity are permitted, as are weddings, baptisms, and funerals limited to 10 people.
On March 22, the Philippines reported a record-high of 8,019 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 671,792.
The OCTA Research group believes the restrictions may not be enough to lower the virus's reproduction number to 1 within two weeks.
Topics in this story
Explore more stories about these topics.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
The 'NCR Plus' bubble, comprising Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, began an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on March 29, 2021, and it will last until April 4, 2021, in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Read more →
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) established checkpoints at the boundaries of the NCR Plus bubble (Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) from March 22 to April 4 to manage the surge in COVID-19 cases.
+1
Read more →
Gyms, fitness centers, and spas in the NCR Plus bubble can continue to operate at 50% to 75% capacity, with the decision ultimately resting on local government units (LGUs) to impose further restrictions.
Read more →
OCTA Research stated that it is still too early to determine if the NCR Plus bubble is effective in curbing COVID-19 cases, as the reproduction number in Metro Manila remains around 2.
Read more →
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ordered the temporary closure of gyms, fitness centers, spas, full body massage places, and internet cafes within Metro Manila and its adjacent provinces for two weeks, from March 22 to April 4.
Read more →