President Rodrigo Duterte is now reconsidering placing Metro Manila under the more relaxed modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
In a press briefing on Sunday, he told reporters that he may consider further opening the economy as soon as the Philippines gets at least two million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Duterte added that if the rollout begins and other vaccines would now come in and distributed also to the provinces, he will open the economy.
He emphasized that people need to eat and work and the only way to do it is to open the economy and for businesses to regrow.
Earlier, the National Economic Development Authority has proposed to place the whole country under MGCQ to help restart the economy.
However, President Duterte rejected this since there was no vaccine that arrived yet in the country at the time.
Metro Manila and nine others will remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) in March while the rest of the country is under MGCQ. (ES)
