President Rodrigo Duterte is studying a proposal to further ease quarantine restriction by placing the entire country under modified general community quarantine by March, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

In a televised press briefing in Davao City, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte wants the recommendations of the economic team, including the declaration of MGCQ in the whole Philippines, in the next Cabinet meeting to be held on February 22.

"The President is thoroughly studying this recommendation and he said he wants to discuss this in the next Cabinet meeting," he said.

National Economic and Development Authority acting Director General Karl Kendrick Chua said the economic team has agreed that there is a need to further open up the economy by placing the country under MGCQ starting March 1.

Economic managers also want to increase the transportation capacity from 50 percent to 75 percent; to provide more bike lanes; to allow more provincial buses to ply the streets; to ease the age limits of those who could go out to 5 years old to 70 years old from current 15 years old to 65 years old; and to continue with the pilot test of face-to-face classes in low risk COVID-19 areas. Celerina Monte/DMS