For Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) should remain to continue in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite to sustain the current trend of lower COVID-19 cases in the country.

He is the second Cabinet member to support the extension of MECQ following Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday.

In a radio interview, Año said the daily COVID-19 cases are lower than 3,000.

“For us to continue the good trend, we should extend further the MECQ but of course this will be a very deliberate discussion later and what will be the collective consensus agreement of the IATF,” he said.

Año said the Metro Manila Council will meet on Tuesday afternoon to discuss what will be their recommendation.

“Whatever is the decision of the President (Rodrigo Duterte), we will follow,” he added.

Metro Manila and the four provinces, as well as a few other areas in the country, have been placed under MECQ, a more restrictive quarantine classification, from April 12 to April 30.

The area, known as NCR Plus, was under ECQ or equivalent to lockdown for two weeks from March 29 to April 11 due to surging cases of COVID-19.

Año said Duterte is expected to announce the new quarantine classification on Wednesday. Ella Dionisio/DMS