Malacañang said on Thursday that it is a "remote possibility" that Metro Manila will be placed under modified general community quarantine after August 18 amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

While he acknowledged the increasing number of critical care facilities, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in televised press briefing, said the case doubling rate is still low.

"There is also a need to lengthen the case doubling rate. Right now, we are at nine (days), but what is needed in order (to be placed) under MGCQ is at least 28 days," he said.

"So, okay, fine, it's remote possibility, but there will be tremendous improvement when it comes to critical care facility," Roque added.

The government has been increasing the number of isolation facilities as well as the bed capacity for critical and severe COVID-19 patients.

MGCQ is the most relaxed quarantine classification in the country.

Metro Manila and nearby four provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite and Rizal have been placed under modified enhanced community quarantine, a more restrictive quarantine classification, from August 4 to 18 due to high number of COVID-19 cases.

As of August 13, the COVID-19 cases in the Philippines rose to 147,526, with 4,002 new cases. The number of recoveries increased to 70,387 while death toll was at 2,426. Celerina Monte/DMS