Agriculture Secretary William Dar urged on Tuesday those manning checkpoints to ensure the smooth entry of agricultural products in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine, like Metro Manila.

Dar made the call after receiving report there were traders from Benguet who were barred from entering Metro Manila.

"We call on all the provincial chief executives and municipal mayors because we have an initial feedback that the traders from Benguet cannot enter," he said in a virtual press briefing.

"So, please let us try to help, we should help each other. Let us cooperate so that the vegetables from Benguet won't rot and they can reach Metro Manila," Dar added.

He said the regional field office of the Department of Agriculture in Baguio City is ready to assist in the movement of the goods.

"Let's be united in pursuit of having to move these food supplies from the provinces towards the metro areas like Metro Manila," Dar stressed.

President Rodrigo Duterte has reimposed MECQ, a more restrictive quarantine measure, in Metro Manila and in the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal for 15 days from August 4-18 due to the increasing number of coronavirus disease cases.

The decision was reached after the call of medical societies for the President to give them time to recuperate after so much exhaustion during the past months attending to COVID-19 cases. Celerina Monte/DMS