Malacañang on Tuesday said there is still no recommendation yet from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to enforce enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila due to COVID-19 Delta variant.

"We have a lot of experts that are giving advice to the IATF and as of now, we are still not recommending ECQ," Presidential Harry Roque said in a press briefing in Subic, Zambales.

OCTA Research Group is urging the government to implement a two-week lockdown due to the emerging COVID-19 surge in the National Capital Region (NCR).

OCTA said restrictions are needed to prevent health care facilities from overwhelming as the reproduction rate in NCR is at 1.33 which is possibly due to the local transmission of Delta variant.

Roque said there is also no recommendation for a hard lockdown in areas where the COVID-19 Delta variant was detected.

"What is important is total health. We are balancing (the health and economy). Stop the spread (of virus) and prevention is important. Let's not wait for us to lost our livelihoods again," he said.

Roque said the IATF is set to meet to discuss the next quarantine classifications in the country.

He also said President Rodrigo Duterte will have his weekly "Talk to the People" on Wednesday. Ella Dionisio/ DMS