The National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby four provinces may shift to an "ordinary" general community quarantine by next week as hospital care utilization rate remains low, Malacanang said on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to come up with a decision on or before June 15 on the new quarantine classifications of Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal or NCR Plus and a few other places under modified enhanced community quarantine.

"For Metro Manila, the numbers are looking good. The hospital care utilization remains very low or at 53 in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds, and that is one important factor for escalation (of the quarantine classifications)," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a televised press briefing.

"So, I would say in fact that based on the figures, Metro Manila Plus might be looking at de-escalation. It might not be to MGCQ (modified GCQ) but it could be to ordinary GCQ," he said.

Areas under NCR Plus are under GCQ "with restrictions," meaning some sectors have not opened up similar to when a place is under an ordinary GCQ.

As to the other areas in the country, particularly those under MECQ, Roque said the government is closely monitoring them.

"We are always data-driven. So, I do not want to speculate because I haven't see the data of other areas under MECQ. What I've seen was only here in Metro Manila," he said.

Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease is also set to discuss on Thursday on whether or not gyms and some other indoor non-contact sports and indoor tourism activities, among others, will already be allowed to open in a limited capacity. Celerina Monte/DMS