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MECQ Guidelines

President Rodrigo Duterte approved a Cabinet recommendation and placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under a two-week modified ECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) from midnight of Aug. 4 until August 18 following the appeal of healthcare workers. Other parts of the country are under a more relaxed general community quarantine or modified GCQ.


We have collated the following updated guidelines below:

Minimum public health standards shall be complied with at all times for the duration of the MECQ. 


Strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households, and the movement of all residents shall still be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in permitted offices or establishments or such other activities listed hereunder.


Any person below twenty-one (21) years old, those who are sixty (60) years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services, for work in industries and offices or such other activities permitted in this Section.


The following shall be allowed to operate at full operational capacity:

  • All establishments, persons, or activities permitted to operate, work, or be undertaken under Section 2(4) of these Guidelines;

  • Media establishments, without need of PCOO accreditation;

  • BPOs and export-oriented establishments, without need to set up onsite or near-site accommodation arrangements;

  • E-commerce companies;

  • Other postal and courier services, as well as delivery services for articles or products not mentioned under Section 2 of these Omnibus Guidelines;

  • Rental and leasing, other than real estate, such as vehicles and equipment for permitted sectors;

  • Employment activities that involve the recruitment and placement for permitted sectors; and

  • Housing services activities, such as but not limited to plumbing, roofing, and electrical works.


The following offices, establishments or individuals conducting or providing the following activities or services are allowed to operate at fifty percent (50%) operational capacity, while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements, where applicable:

  • Other manufacturing industries classified as beverages, including alcoholic drinks; electrical machinery; wood products and furniture; non-metallic products; textiles and clothing/wearing apparels; tobacco products; paper and paper products; rubber and plastic products; coke and refined petroleum products; other non-metallic mineral products; computers, electronic and optical products; electrical equipment; machinery and equipment; motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers; other transport equipment; and others;

  • Other real estate activities;

  • Administrative and office support such as, but not limited to, providing photocopying and billing services;

  • Other financial services not mentioned in Section 2 of these Omnibus Guidelines, such as, money exchange, insurance, reinsurance and non-compulsory pension funding;

  • Legal and accounting services;

  • Management consultancy services or activities;

  • Architectural and engineering activities, including technical testing and analysis;

  • Science and technology, and research and development;

  • Recruitment and placement agencies for overseas employment.

  • Advertising and market research;

  • Computer programming and information management services;

  • Publishing and printing services;

  • Film, music and television production;

  • Photography, fashion, and industrial, graphic and interior design;