What will you do now that the ECQ is extended until April 30?

Last Updated on April 21, 2020 by ITPM

Enhanced Community Quarantine Declared in Luzon

Last 16 March 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte declared that the entire Luzon island in the Philippines will be put under “Enhanced Community Quarantine or ECQ.” This effectively put the entire 8 regions of Luzon, including Metro Manila, and Bulacan (part of Region III) under the ECQ, as a response to the growing threat of the pandemic of the disease caused by the COVID-19 virus. This enhanced quarantine is from 17 March 2020 and expires on 12MN of 13 April 2020.

The announcement came 2 days after the community quarantine was declared on Metro Manila, the country’s capital.

ECQ Extension

This is the most recent update as of the morning of 7 April 2020. Secretary Nograles, spokesperson of the IATF, announced during its morning press conference that President Duterte has approved its recommendation to extend the ECQ in Luzon until 30 April 2020.

The announcement came hours after the President’s 2nd week report on his emergency powers which aired late evening of 6 April 2020.

This decision though does not come as a big surprise, given the current trend of the positive cases. The same has also been the recommendation, both from government and non-government personalities — to potentially extend the ECQ for a few more weeks.

Read about the latest updates of COVID-19 cases in Bulacan in our related post:

The Latest Bulacan COVID-19 Virus Case Bulletin

Restrictions during ECQ

The ECQ has put restrictions on people’s movements and non-essential travel. All classes are suspended. All mass gatherings are prohibited. A strict home quarantine is implemented for all households.

Unless you are part of the exceptions, most businesses and establishments are closed. People are only allowed to go out of their houses to buy food and other necessities like medicines. Only medical personnel, people who work on establishments related to the production / retail of food and other daily essentials, members of the media, selected government employees, and personnel of the PNP and AFP are allowed to go to work. Nonetheless, even those exemptions need to ensure that they carry the relevant supporting identification cards / documents. No public transportation is available.

Read about the official announcement, along with the details of the restrictions and exceptions here:

Enhanced Community Quarantine – Official Gazette

Home Activities during the ECQ

As people are limited to activities they can do at home, many people resort to:

• Working from home
• Binge-watching of their favorite series / Korean dramas in Netflix
• Kwentuhan and e-numan sessions with friends via Zoom or Video Calls
• General cleaning of houses – including going through items that can be disposed / donated / sold off (after thanking their things the KonMari way)
• Social media activities, including sharing of posts and stories; creation of videos; creation of memes; etc.
• Video games / online gaming
• Going back to their pile of unread books
• Home exercises / other fitness activities that you can do in your own living room / backyard
• Online learning / e-learning
• Volunteering to help / donating to our frontliners / fellow Bulakenyos who need help during this ECQ

What will you do now that the ECQ is extended?

Let us know what activities you are planning to do or new things that you would want to try if the ECQ will be extended for a few more weeks. Leave a comment on this post to share these with us, and our readers and followers. Feel free to leave suggestions that other people can try as well.

What are your favorite online activities / Netflix shows? What crafts will you suggest to keep young pre-schoolers busy? What favorite recipes will you try at home for the first time? What online learning sites are your favorite? Comment now! 🙂

#StayAtHome #FlattenTheCurve #BahayMunaBuhayMuna #TogetherWeHealAsOne