SUMMARY
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After President Rodrigo Duterte announced that Metro Manila and 4 surrounding provinces would revert to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting Tuesday midnight, residents of affected areas crowded markets and grocery stores to stock on food and other essentials on Monday, August 3.
The move to put key areas under MECQ came after medical frontliners’ distress call to implement stricter quarantine measures to arrest the rapid spread of the coronavirus and unburden the overwhelmed hospitals. The Philippines went past 106,000 in coronavirus cases as of Monday.
The frenzy also caused traffic jam in certain parts of Metro Manila. Commuters cram inside public vehicles. Under MECQ, public transportation will no longer be allowed.
This panic buying was reminiscent of the situation 5 months before, when enhanced community quarantine was declared in Luzon for the first time. Shelves had been emptied and stores had to set buying limits per person.
Meanwhile, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto reminded his constituents in a tweet to avoid panic buying and withdrawing of money, as grocery stores and ATMs would remain open even under MECQ.
(READ: Vico Sotto: Stay calm, don’t resort to panic buying)
The return to MECQ limits access to goods and services. Select types of businesses will be partially open, while religious gatherings will be limited to only 5 people at a time. Quarantine passes and checkpoints will be enforced to regulate travel. – Rappler.com
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