imposition of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, a more lenient measure, which includes

a stay-at-home order and a curfew, was imposed in Metro Manila and was officially called a
"community quarantine".[18]

Several LGUs has used the term "hard lockdown," which is an area under disease monitoring and
mass testing for the virus.[28][29][30] In May 2020, additional terms were coined by the government to
categorize the community quarantine according to its risk assessment and those new terms are
"modified enhanced community quarantine," "modified general community quarantine" and "new
normal."[25]

A "total lockdown" measure, distinct from an ECQ, has been considered, which would prohibit people
from leaving their places of residence and mandate the closure of all public establishments. According
to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, this measure is considered as an option.[31]

A "granular lockdown" can be applied to single barangay, or a portion of it such as a certain road, with
a high concentration or clustering of active cases of COVID-19.[32]

Timeline

2020

Prior to May 1

The enhanced community quarantine in Luzon covers the island

of Luzon and its outlying islands, or eight out of seventeen
regions of the Philippines. An indefinite enhanced community
quarantine, was imposed in Caraga, alternatively known as One
Shield Caraga, started on April 7,[33] and in the Davao Region[34]
which took effect on April 4.[34]

Provinces that imposed an enhanced community quarantine

include Iloilo (March 21),[35] Antique (March 22),[36] Negros
Occidental (March 30),[37] Cebu (March 30),[38] and Negros
Oriental (April 3).[39]
Pulilan, Bulacan on March 23, 2020,
The independent cities of Bacolod (March 30),[37] Iloilo City
during the enhanced community
(March 21),[35] and Cebu City (March 28)[38] also imposed ECQ quarantine
measures.

May

May 1–15

Enhanced community quarantines (ECQs) were extended in Metro Manila, Central Luzon (excluding
Aurora), and Calabarzon regions as well as in the provinces of Benguet, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Cebu, and
the cities of Bacolod and Davao until May 15 as per President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order 112.
All other areas were placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) unless otherwise approved
by the IATF-EID.[14] Albay and Zamboanga City were also included among local government units
placed under ECQ.[40] The IATF-EID allows local government units, the imposition or extension of
ECQ at a municipal or barangay level with the concurrence of their respective regional IATF-EID.[41]

The municipality of San Jose remained under ECQ while the rest of Occidental Mindoro downgraded
to GCQ.[42] Marinduque[43] and Bacolod also remained under ECQ.[44]

Request to extend ECQs in the following areas were rejected by the IATF-EID: the provinces of
Camarines Sur, La Union, Mountain Province, Isabela, Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur, and the
cities of Marawi and Butuan.[41]

May 16–31

On May 12, 2020, it was originally announced that community quarantine measures will be lifted in
41 provinces and 11 cities across the country due to their being low risk for coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19),[45] but were eventually upgraded to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ)
after receiving petitions from LGUs starting May 16.[46]

On May 15, 2020, the IATF-EID approved the appeal of Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla placing the city
of Bacoor in the province of Cavite under modified enhanced community quarantine.

The IATF-EID issued Resolution No. 37, overriding prior plans, placing Metro Manila, the cities of
Angeles and Bacoor, as well as the provinces of Laguna, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and
Zambales under modified enhanced community quarantine, which is more lenient than an ECQ but
stricter than a GCQ. Cebu City and Mandaue were placed under ECQ while the rest of the country was
placed under GCQ. The measure became effective on May 16 with quarantine measures to be
reassessed on May 31.[47]

June

June 1–15

The IATF-EID issued Resolution No. 41 to override prevailing quarantine measures in the country
starting June 1. Measures in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Central Visayas regions transitioned to
general community quarantine (GCQ). GCQ remained in Cagayan Valley, Pangasinan (except
Dagupan), Zamboanga City and Davao City, while the rest of the country was placed under modified
general community quarantine (MGCQ).[48] However, Marc Brian Lim, the city mayor of Dagupan,
suspended the implementation of GCQ measures in the city to MGCQ as directed by the IATF-EID.
This followed Dagupan recording 14 additional COVID-19 cases on May 31, the day prior the city was
supposed to transition to MGCQ. Lim appealed to the IATF-EID for the task force to allow his city to
remain under GCQ.[49]

June 16–30

Due to the sudden increase number of community transmissions in the area, the IATF-EID
recommended the reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to Cebu City starting
on June 16, the most stringent lockdown-measure tier with the neighboring Talisay being reimposed
under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). Meanwhile, GCQ was extended or
reimposed in the areas of Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Occidental
Mindoro, the rest of Central Visayas, Zamboanga City and Davao City.[50]

July

July 1–15

On June 23, the IATF-EID temporarily removed the "new normal" classification which meant that all
areas in the country will still be under varying levels of community quarantine after the June 16–30
measures.[27]

The GCQ were either reimposed or extended to the provinces of Benguet, Cavite, Leyte (except
Tacloban), Rizal, Southern Leyte, and several parts of Cebu. Only Cebu City remained under ECQ as
the city confirms more cases.[51][52]

July 16–31

On July 15, quarantine measures continued to ease as Cebu City shifted to MECQ. Metro Manila
remains under GCQ for another two weeks. Other areas under GCQ includes the provinces of Agusan
del Norte, Basilan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Southern Leyte, as well as the cities of Butuan, Lapu-
Lapu, Mandaue, Ormoc, and Zamboanga. The rest of the country shifts to MGCQ.[53][54]

August

August 1–15

Quarantine measures for August 1 to 15 were decided on July 30 and was announced on July 31.[55]
Cebu City's MECQ has finally been downgraded to GCQ. Other places that are still under GCQ
includes: the Metro Manila, the provinces of Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, the cities
of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Talisay, and Zamboanga, and the municipalities of Consolacion and
Minglanilla in Cebu. The rest of the country are still under MGCQ.[56]

On August 2, the IATF-EID responded to the appeal of 40 medical societies led by the Philippine
College of Physicians to place Metro Manila under ECQ again due to rising COVID-19 cases.[57] The
meeting later decided to place Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal back under MECQ
from August 4 to 18.[58]

August 16–31

The provinces of Batangas, Nueva Ecija, and Quezon in Luzon and Iloilo City in the Visayas were
placed under GCQ again on August 16. While the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay,
and the municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion in the Cebu province remained under GCQ.
Zamboanga City was placed under MGCQ.[59]

On August 17, on the recommendation of the IATF-EID, President Duterte announced that Metro
Manila and its neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal will be downgraded to
GCQ starting August 19.[60][61] His speech was broadcast from Davao City.
On August 21, Catbalogan was placed under ECQ, following Samar Governor Reynolds Michael Tan
signed an executive order amid a spike of cases.[62] Tuguegarao was placed under MECQ for ten days,
from August 26 to September 4.[63]

September

On August 31, President Duterte approved the recommendation of IATF-EID, to place Iligan under
MECQ. The GCQ in Metro Manila, Batangas, and Bulacan was also extended, while the quarantine
measures in Bacolod and Tacloban were upgraded to GCQ. The rest of the country were placed under
MGCQ on September 1.[64]

Lanao del Sur and the city of Bacolod were also placed under MECQ from September 8 to 30,[65] due
to the sudden rise of COVID-19 cases linked to local transmissions within these areas.[66]

The cities of Koronadal and General Santos were also placed under GCQ from September 11 to 25[67]
and September 13 to 27,[68] respectively, while the province of South Cotabato was placed under GCQ
from September 16 to 30.[69] Iloilo City was placed under MECQ, from September 25 to 30,[70][71]
originally scheduled to end on October 9.

October

On September 28, President Duterte announced that the GCQ in Metro Manila, Bacolod, Batangas,
Iloilo City, and Tacloban will be extended from October 1 to 31, while the MECQ in Iligan will be
downgraded to GCQ. Lanao del Sur (including Marawi) on the other hand, will be placed under
MECQ for the entirety of October. The rest of the country will remain under MGCQ.[72]

Ilagan in Isabela was placed under MECQ from October 6 to 16,[73] then to ECQ from October 16 to
30, amid rising cases in the city.[74] Enrile in Cagayan was placed under MECQ from October 6 to
16.[75] Northern Samar was placed under GCQ from October 20 until November 3.[76]

November

On October 27, President Duterte announced in his televised address from Davao City, that the GCQ
in Metro Manila, Bacolod, Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban, and Iligan will be extended until November
30, while Lanao del Sur will be placed under GCQ. The rest of the country will remain under
MGCQ.[77][78]

Davao City was also placed under GCQ from November 20 until November 30, amid sudden rise of
COVID-19 cases in the city.[79] Laoag in Ilocos Norte was placed under MECQ from November 27
until December 11, due to spike in cases in the city.[80]

December

On November 30, President Duterte announced that the quarantine measures in Metro Manila,
Batangas, Davao City, Iligan, Iloilo City, Lanao del Sur, and Tacloban will remain as they are until
December 31. Davao del Norte was upgraded to a GCQ due to its high positivity rate, while Bacolod
was downgraded to a MGCQ. The rest of the country will remain under MGCQ.[81]
Laoag was downgraded to GCQ from December 12 until December 25.[82][83] On December 14, the
province of Isabela was placed under GCQ and will be under that quarantine measure until December
30.[84]

2021

January

On December 28, President Rodrigo Duterte has announced that the GCQ in Metro Manila, Batangas,
Davao del Norte, Isabela, Lanao del Sur, Davao City, Iligan, Iloilo City and Tacloban will be extended
until January 31, while Santiago will be upgraded to GCQ. The rest of the country will be placed under
MGCQ.[85][86]

On January 1, Isabela and Iloilo City has been downgraded to MGCQ.[87] Laoag was placed under
GCQ on January 11.[88] Tuguegarao was placed under ECQ from January 20 until January 29, due to
the spike of cases in the city.[89] It was extended until February 3, as the cases were still rising.[90]
Passi was placed under ECQ from January 28 until February 11.[91]

February

On January 29, it was announced that the following areas will be placed under GCQ: the Cordillera
Administrative Region and Metro Manila, the provinces of Batangas, Davao del Norte, and Lanao del
Sur, and the cities of Tacloban, Davao City, and Iligan for the whole month of February. The rest of
the country will be under a more lenient MGCQ, unless otherwise stated.[92]

March

March 1–21

There was a plan to place the entire country under MGCQ by March 2021, which was first proposed by
the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to allow the reopening of industries
closed under stricter quarantine measures. The Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) supported this proposal and said that it would harmonize travel restrictions throughout the
country.[93] However, President Rodrigo Duterte issued a directive against the proposal but was open
to ease the restrictions nationwide as soon as the national government starts its vaccination
program.[94] On February 27, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that the GCQ in
Metro Manila, Apayao, Baguio, Batangas, Davao City, Iligan, Kalinga, Lanao del Sur, Mountain
Province, and Tacloban will still be in place for the entire month of March.[95]

March 22–31

On March 21, in view of the grim rising of new COVID-19 cases, President Duterte approved the IATF-
EID recommendation placing Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna,
and Rizal under GCQ "with additional restrictions" from March 22 to April 4.[96] These areas within
the Greater Manila Area were collectively given the designation "NCR Plus"[15] and the restrictions
placed on the area was described essentially as a GCQ–MECQ hybrid.[97] However, on March 29, the
Greater Manila Area was placed under ECQ due to the increasing trend in the number of cases in the
area.[98]

April

On March 29, President Rodrigo Duterte announced community quarantine measures that would
prevail from April 1 to 30 with most of the Philippines to be placed under MGCQ. Quirino and the city
of Santiago in Isabela will placed under MECQ, while the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan,
the rest of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Lanao del Sur and the cities of Tacloban, Iligan, Davao
City will be under GCQ and the quarantine measures in the NCR Plus area were retained.[99] The ECQ
in NCR Plus was supposed to end on April 4, but was extended until April 11.[100] From April 12 to 30,
the Greater Manila Area was placed under MECQ. For the same period, Abra was also placed under
MECQ, while Quezon was placed under GCQ.[101][102]

May

May 1–14

On April 28, 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that the MECQ in the Greater Manila Area
("NCR Plus") will remain in place until May 14 while that of in Santiago City, Quirino, and Abra will
remain until May 31. The GCQ in the provinces of Apayao, Batangas, Benguet, Cagayan, Ifugao,
Isabela, Kalinga, Lanao del Sur, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quezon, and the cities of
Baguio, Davao City, Iligan, and Tacloban will remain in place until May 31, while the rest of the
country will remain under MGCQ.[103]

However, quarantine measures for Ifugao were raised to MECQ which will be active from May 1 to 14,
and Palawan was placed under GCQ for the whole month.[104]

May 15–31

On May 13, 2021, President Duterte approved the IATF-EID recommendations in downgrading the
quarantine classification of the NCR Plus under GCQ "with heightened restrictions" from May 15 to
May 31. MECQ would be in place in the provinces of Ifugao and Quirino and the cities of Santiago and
Zamboanga City due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in those areas. The GCQ in the rest of the
Cordillera and Calabarzon, the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Lanao del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya, and the
cities of Davao City, Iligan and Puerto Princesa would remain in place until May 31, while the rest of
the country would remain under MGCQ.[105]

June

On May 31, 2021, President Duterte announced that GCQ in the Greater Manila Area ("NCR Plus")
would remain, this time "with heightened restrictions," from June 1 to 14. More areas were upgraded
to MECQ starting on June 1, such as the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Zamboanga
Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and the cities of Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Cagayan
de Oro, Butuan, and Zamboanga, while MECQ was retained in Santiago City until June 15. The GCQ
status in Abra, Kalinga, Baguio City, Batangas, Quezon, Lanao del Sur, Iligan City, and Davao City was
retained, while Mountain Province and Quirino were downgraded to GCQ until June 30; Cotabato
City was upgraded to GCQ as well. The rest of the country was placed under MGCQ until June
30.[106][107]

On June 14, 2021, in view of the grim rising of new COVID-19 cases outside the Greater Manila Area
("NCR Plus") particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, President Duterte approved the
IATF-EID recommendation placing the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, Ifugao, Bataan, Iloilo, Negros
Oriental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat
Islands, Surigao del Sur and the cities of Santiago, Lucena, Puerto Princesa, Naga, Iloilo, Davao,
Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga City under the stricter MECQ from June 16 to June 30.[108]

Meanwhile, the GCQ imposed on the Greater Manila Area ("NCR Plus") was modified with the areas
of the National Capital Region and the province of Bulacan downgraded to a looser GCQ "with some
restrictions," while the stricter GCQ "with heightened restrictions" remains in the provinces of Cavite,
Rizal, and Laguna. The provinces of Kalinga, Mountain Province, Benguet, Abra, Isabela, Nueva
Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Quezon, Davao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South
Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and the cities of Baguio City, Cotabato City, Iligan City, General Santos City
were upgraded to GCQ as well.[108]

Statistics