Luzon's Now Under Enhanced Community Quarantine. Here's What It Means

The first workday after the implementation of the NCR’s Community Quarantine, Malacañang has opted to bump things up to an Enhanced Community Quarantine for the entire area of Luzon. This takes effect 12:00 AM from Tuesday, March 17 to 12:00 AM on Monday, April 13.

The decision was formalized by President Rodrigo Duterte via a recorded message addressed to the Filipino people. After that, details were ironed out by the President’s various cabinet secretaries.

Here’s what you can expect:

• The period of Enhanced Community Quarantine may be shortened (or extended) depending on the daily meeting of the Interagency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Disease.
• Mass gathering is not allowed. With that, all public parks, beaches, basketball courts will be closed, and loitering at all times of day is not allowed.
• All mass transportation (LRT, MRT, buses, PUJs, taxis, TNVS, tricycles) is suspended.
• Outbound international air travel is allowed at any time for all persons except for Filipino tourists. Outbound domestic air travel has been suspended. International travelers can leave their house or hotel 24 hours before their scheduled departure.
• Inbound air travel is allowed for repatriating Filipinos and long-term visa holders subject to health and/or quarantine procedures.
• Departing passengers may be accompanied by one (1) person when traveling to any international port. They must present proof such as travel itinerary, or e-ticket.
• Everyone is quarantined to their respective homes with the exception for those who are purchasing basic necessities such as food or medicine. In these cases, only one (1) person from each household is allowed to go out (no driver, spouse, siblings, children, etc.).
• Provisions for food and essential health services will be regulated.
• Exempted from the home quarantine are: health care workers, peace and order officers, workers who work in private establishments that cater to basic necessities (see below).
• Proof of residence and employment (for those working in exempted industries) must be carried at all times, and may be required at checkpoints.
• Malls are closed.
• Private establishments catering to food (supermarkets, wet markets, public markets, groceries, food preparation and delivery, water re-filling), medicine (pharmacy, drug stores, medical clinics, medicine production), banks (including money transfer services), utilities (telecommunications, gasoline stations) will remain open. Restaurants are allowed to remain open provided they only prepare food for takeout and delivery only.
• In these establishments, they will operate with a skeletal workforce and will practice proper social distancing.
• Food deliveries such as those from Food Panda and Grab Food are allowed to operate.
• For establishments that will remain open, employees will have to either take private transportation or walk. Local Government Units (LGUs) can organize shuttles if required.
• For people with private vehicles, transit to and from these approved establishments is allowed.
• Hotels are not allowed to accept new bookings during the quarantine period. Guests who have existing bookings or guests with existing long-term accommodations are allowed to stay.
• There will be heightened uniformed presence (police and military).
• Cargo can flow in and out of Luzon unimpeded.
• Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and export-related establishments will remain open, but will require their employees to be housed in a temporary staff housing by Friday, March 20).
• Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) are not allowed to operate.
• Health Checkpoints surrounding NCR will still be implemented. This will be supplemented by roving patrols.
• Several exits are closed on NLEX and SCTEX. Follow them on Twitter to get the latest update on which exits are opened and closed. Only vehicles carrying uniformed personnel on official business, health workers, medical staff, media reporters with special passes, and those transiting to and from purchasing basic necessities are allowed to pass.
• CAVITEX, C5 Link, and CALAX will remain open.
• SLEX will remain open but will have checkpoints at the following locations: Calamba Toll Plaza NB; Alabang Exit NB, Cabuyao SB; Southwoods SB; Eton SB; Mamplasan SB; Susana Heights SB; Sto. Tomas SB; Magallanes SB.
• STAR will remain open but will have checkpoints at the following locations: Tanauan (SB); Malvar (NB/SB); Lipa National Highway before NB Entry; Ibaan National Road after NB exit; Balagas after SB exit.
• All operations of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Luzon has been suspended. Therefore, deadline for registration of motor vehicles and renewal of licenses that expire during the Enhanced Community Quarantine can until the end of April 2020 with no penalties. Validity of all student permits will also be extended.

With the cancellation of public transportation, the DOTr with start to deploy buses to serve front line health workers. These are their routes as of March 19.

North West Area (Staging Area: Valenzuela Gateway Complex)

• Malanday
• Valenzuela City General Hospital
• Monumento / MCU
• Tondo General Hospital
• Metropolitan Medical Center
• San Lazaro Hospital
• Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center
• University of Sto. Tomas Hospital
• Chinese General Hospital
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)

North West Area (Staging Area: Valenzuela Gateway Complex)

• Valenzuela Gateway Complex
• Quezon City General Hospital
• Balintawak
• Philippine Orthopedic
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)

North East Area (Staging Area: SM Fairview / LTO East Avenue)

• Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial (Caloocan)
• SM Fairview
• Diliman Doctors Hospital
• Veterans Memorial Medical Center
• Lung Center of the Philippines
• National Kidney and Transplant Institute
• Philippine Heart Center
• East Avenue Medical Center
• Philippine Childrens Hospital
• Centris Station (EDSA / Quezon Avenue)

East Area (Staging Area: BFCT East Marikina Terminal)

• SM City Masinag
• Marikina Valley Medical Center
• Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center
• BFCT East Metro Transport Center
• Araneta Center Bus Terminal
• Robinsons Gallery
• The Medical City - Ortigas

East Area (Staging Area: SM City East Ortigas / BFCT East Marikina Terminal)

• Ortigas Hospital and Healthcare (Cainta)
• SM City East Ortigas
• Pasig City General Hospital
• The Medical City Ortigas
• Robinsons Galleria
• VRP Medical Center
• St. Lukes Medical Center - E. Rodriguez
• Rizal Medical Center

Central Area (Staging Area: MRT-3 Cubao Station / LTO East Avenue)

• Centris Station (EDSA / Quezon Avenue)
• Providence Hospital
• Capitol Medical Center
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)
• UERM Memorial Medical Center
• National Childrens Hospital
• De Los Santos Medical Center
• St. Lukes Medical Center - E. Rodriguez
• MRT-3 Cubao Station

Central Area (Staging Area: PITX & Robinsons Galleria P2P Stop)

• The Medical City - Ortigas
• Robinsons Galleria
• Cardinal Santos Medical Center
• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital
• Santa Ana Hospital
• Makati Medical Center

South East Area (Staging Area: South Station & RITM)

• RITM
• Asian Hospital and Medical Center
• Muntinlupa City Hospital
• South Station
• SLEX Sucat Exit
• Bicutan Exit
• Makati Medical Center
• St. Lukes Medical Center - BGC

South East Area (Staging Area: PITX & Vista Mall, Daang Hari)

• Vista Mall, Daang Hari
• Perpetual Help Medical Center (Las Pinas)
• Las Pinas General Hospital
• Baclaran Market
• San Juan de Dios Educational Medical Center
• Pasay City General Hospital
• Adventist Medical Center
• Makati Medical Center
• Philippine General Hospital
• Manila Doctors Hospital
• United Doctors Medical Center (Welcome Rotonda)

The routes are still subject to change depending on the data and requests coming from the Department of Health (DOH).

The bus service will likewise comply with the DOH containment protocols such as the observance of social distancing, body temperature checks, and regular disinfecting of vehicles.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Vice-President (OVP) will also start deploying buses to serve health care workers. Their routes are as follows:

• Route 1: RITM Alabang — Magallanes SLEX MRT (via Osmeña Highway, via Quirino Ave.) — Taft Ave. LRT — PGH / UP-NIH — Lawton LRT — Carriedo LRT — Recto LRT — Tayuman LRT — Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center.
• Route 2: Heritage Hotel EDSA ext (via Roxas Blvd., via Quirino Ave.) — Taft Ave. LRT — PGH / UP-NIH — Manila City Hall (via Quiapo) — UST Hospital — UDMC (via Welcome Rotonda, via Quezon Ave.) — Phil. Orthopedic Center (Banawe, via Araneta Ave. — EDSA Quezon Ave. MRT.
• Route 3: SM MOA Globe EDSA — EDSA Taft LRT / MRT — Magallanes MRT — Guadalupe MRT — Shaw MRT — Cubao MRT / LRT2 (via Aurora Blvd., via C5 ext.) — QMMC (via C5 / Marcos Highway) — Santolan LRT2 — Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, Cainta.
• Route 4: EDSA ext. / Macapagal Ave. — EDSA Taft LRT / MRT — Magallanes MRT — Shaw MRT — Cubao MRT / LRT2 — East Ave. Medical Center — Phil. Heart Center — Lung Center of the Phils. (via Quezon Memorial Circle) — VMMC (via EDSA) — Monumento LRT.
• Route 5: SM Fairview (via Commonwealth Ave, via Quezon Memorial Circle) — East Ave. Medical Center — Phil. Heart Center — Lung Center of the Phils. (via Agham Road, via Quezon Ave.) — Phil. Orthopedic Center — UDMC (Welcome Rotonda, via España) — UST Hospital — Lawton LRT.
• Route 6: Balintawak LRT — Quezon Ave. MRT — GMA – Kamuning MRT — Cubao MRT — Santolan–Annapolis MRT — Ortigas MRT — EDSA cor. Kalayaan Ave. — Ayala MRT — Magallanes MRT — Heritage Hotel EDSA ext.

This page will be updated with more information.