Attn passengers: There will be no domestic flights in MECQ—only limited int’l flights

Modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) seemed like a lifetime ago, so when President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan’s return to it, people were suddenly at a loss. What can we do and not do under MECQ again?

Here’s a refresher: As per the Department of Transportation (DOTr), there will be no public transportation under MECQ—and yes, that includes domestic flights.

[READ: A quick guide for MECQ’s transportation rules in Metro Manila]

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Following the reimposition of MECQ, local airlines Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have already announced the cancellation of their flights to and from Metro Manila from Aug. 4 to 18.

DOTr assistant secretary Goddes Libiran added, however, that there will be international flights but limited to sweeper flights arranged by the government and approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Diseases.

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For Cebu Pacific, for example, apart from continuing operations in Clark, Cebu and Davao, they will also operate limited international routes, namely: Manila-Dubai-Manila, Manila-Seoul (Incheon), Tokyo (Narita)-Manila, Osaka-Manila and Manila-Singapore-Manila. Flights between Manila and Taipei, however, along with all other Cebu Pacific international flights, are also canceled during this time.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque also reiterated this in his latest virtual press briefing where he also said that inter-island travel for non-essential purposes is banned.

Duterte on Sunday reimposed MECQ in said areas after the call from the medical community to bring Metro Manila back to stricter lockdown to reassess the government’s COVID-19 strategy and to reenergize frontliners in need of a “time out.”

Header photo courtesy of Philippine Airlines

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