The pandemic situation in the Philippines has shown Filipinos that there is nothing standard about the government’s quarantine classifications.

From “NCR Plus bubble,” GCQ “with heightened restrictions,” to GCQ “with some restrictions,” the rules keep changing and it can be hard to keep up.

On Friday, July 30, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that Metro Manila would be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened and additional restrictions from July 30 to August 5, then under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20.

So what’s the difference between ECQ, MECQ, and the three types of GCQ? Here’s a quick guide, based on announcements by Roque and resolutions of the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Read all about ECQ in the Omnibus Guidelines for the Implementation of Community Quarantine (starting at page 4).

Outdoor sports

• All types of GCQ – Only non-contact sports allowed
• MECQ – Individual exercises like jogging, biking allowed near place of residence

Indoor sports, gyms

• GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions – Not allowed
• GCQ with heightened restrictions – Not allowed
• GCQ with some restrictions – Up to 20% capacity allowed for gyms and fitness centers but Safety Seal increases allowed capacity by 10%. Other indoor sports courts allowed at 30% capacity.
• GCQ – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• MECQ – Not allowed

Indoor tourist attractions

• GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions – Not allowed
• GCQ with heightened restrictions – Not allowed
• GCQ with some restrictions – Up to 30% venue capacity allowed but no guided tours. Safety Seal increases allowed capacity by 10%.
• GCQ – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• MECQ – Not allowed

Venues for meetings, conferences

• GCQ with heightened restrictions – Not allowed
• GCQ with some restrictions – Up to 30% capacity allowed except for social events in which only 10% of venue capacity allowed. Establishments with Safety Seal can add 10%.
• GCQ – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• MECQ – Not allowed

Personal care services like salons, parlors, beauty clinics

• GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions – Only 30% capacity allowed
• GCQ with heightened restrictions – Up to 30% capacity allowed but only services where mask is kept on at all times allowed (establishments with Safety Seal can add 10%)
• GCQ with some restrictions – Up to 50% capacity allowed but only services where mask is kept on at all times allowed (establishments with Safety Seal can add 10%)
• GCQ – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• MECQ – Not allowed

Outdoor tourist attractions

• GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions – Only 30% capacity allowed
• GCQ with heightened restrictions – Up to 30% capacity allowed
• GCQ with some restrictions – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• GCQ – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• MECQ – Not allowed

Staycation

• GCQ with heightened restrictions and with some restrictions – Hotels with Certificates of Authority to Operate for Staycations allowed 100% capacity, other government-accredited hotels allowed 30% capacity, with local government oversight
• GCQ – Allowed
• MECQ – Not allowed

Indoor dining in restaurants

• GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions – Dining in restaurants is prohibited, only take-out and delivery allowed (Operations of restaurants on July 30 allowed to continue until end of business hours)
• GCQ with heightened restrictions – Up to 20% capacity allowed but may increase by 10% with Safety Seal
• GCQ with some restrictions – Up to 40% capacity allowed but may increase by 10% with Safety Seal
• GCQ – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• MECQ – Not allowed

Outdoor dining in restaurants

• GCQ with heightened restrictions and with restrictions – Up to 50% capacity allowed
• GCQ – Allowed
• MECQ – Up to 50% capacity allowed

Religious activities, weddings, baptisms, wakes

• GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions – Physical religious gatherings not allowed, virtual only. Wakes, funerals, necrological services allowed, only for immediate family members.
• GCQ with heightened restrictions – 10% of capacity allowed but local governments can allow up to 30%
• GCQ with some restrictions – 30% of capacity allowed but local governments can allow up to 50%
• GCQ – 30% of capacity allowed but local governments can allow up to 50%
• MECQ – Up to 10% but local governments can decide to expand to 30% for necrological services, wakes, inurnments, funerals, and only to immediate family members

Interzonal travel or travel between areas under different quarantine classifications

• GCQ with heightened and additional restrictions – Only authorized persons can travel out of NCR Plus (Metro Manila plus Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna)
• GCQ with heightened restrictions and with some restrictions – Not allowed, except for accessing essential goods and for work in permitted establishments, or for other activities allowed under the quarantine classification
• GCQ – Not allowed, except for accessing essential goods and for work in permitted establishments, or for other activities allowed under the quarantine classification
• MECQ – Not allowed, except for accessing essential goods and for work in permitted establishments, or for other activities allowed under the quarantine classification

Movement of age groups

• GCQ – Kids 5 years-old to 17-years-old allowed in open-air public areas
• GCQ with heightened restrictions and some restrictions – Strict stay at home orders for persons below 18 years old and above 65 years old but fully-vaccinated seniors can freely move around as long as they have their vaccination cards
• MECQ – Strict stay at home orders for persons below 18 years old and above 65 years old

– Rappler.com