The Philipping government is hoping to lower the coronavirus cases by at least 25 percent during the two-week period where restrictions, including travels, have been imposed in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces, an official said on Monday.

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite have been named NCR plus.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a televised press briefing, expressed belief that the 25 percent target is a "realistic" goal.

"The target is minimum 25 percent, but we're hoping for more," he said when asked how much COVID-19 cases will be reduced during the two-week imposition of restrictions.

Roque said the 25 percent target is still low if to be taken from the record high 7,999 new cases on Saturday, March 20.

"We are realistic. It (reduction of COVID-19 cases) will not happen overnight," Roque said.

Thus, Roque reiterated the government's appeal to the public to avoid traveling, especially during the Holy Week next week.

"We hope we can sustain the gain after. This is a minimum goal and we're hoping for more," Roque added.

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to impose general community quarantine bubble in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal from March 22 to April 4.

Residents in that bubble are not allowed to go out while those outside the areas are not allowed to enter, except for essential travels, such as going to work.

The measure aims to arrest the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, which could be found mostly in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces.

For some quarters, the government's move seemed to be another form of lockdown.

But Roque said in an interview with ANC, "It's not, because the economy remains open."

"We have, of course, imposed restrictions on physical mobility to avoid the gathering of individuals, because we all know that these gatherings serve as super spreaders of the virus,'' said Roque.

''But economy remains open and despite the fact that there is a travel bubble imposed in Metro Manila and in the adjoining provinces, amongst the individuals allowed to go in and out of the bubble are those who are employed for as long as they can at least show their work ID,'' he said.

''So the intention really is to limit mobility one at the same time to keep the economy open because we know that as a consequence of lockdown, more and more people are going hungry," he explained. Celerina Monte/DMS