By Celerina Monte

President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to maintain Metro Manila and a few other places in the country under the general community quarantine while the rest, under modified general community quarantine, during the entire month of November as part of the measure against the spread of coronavirus disease.

In a taped message aired on Tuesday morning, Duterte said the National Capital Region, Batangas province, cities of Iloilo, Bacolod, Tacloban, and Iligan, and Lanao del Sur province will be under GCQ.

"Many of the mayors want to make it permanent because they have seen the good... result that it has considerably lowered the number of people who are infected with the microbe," Duterte said.

He said the government has to still impose quarantine protocols as the number of COVID-19 cases is still rising.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in a text message, said, "all others will be under MGCQ."

Earlier, the Metro Manila mayors have recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to continue placing NCR under GCQ until the end of the year.

Under GCQ, a few other sectors, such as amusement, gaming, and fitness establishments, as well as those in the kids and tourism industries, are not yet allowed to operate, while other industries can either fully or partially open. DMS