Metro Manila will remain under MECQ, Malacañang said Tuesday as the government deferred the pilot testing of granular lockdowns in the capital region.
The MECQ will remain in effect until Sept. 15 or until the "pilot GCQ with alert level system" is implemented, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
This means indoor and al-fresco dine-in services, and personal care services including beauty salons, beauty parlors, and nail spas will remain prohibited.
Only virtual religious services will be allowed while necrological services for non-COVID deaths will be limited to immediate family members.
The announcement is a revision of Malacañang's earlier pronouncement that Metro Manila will transition to GCQ as it would serve as a pilot testing area for granular lockdowns.
Earlier, Roque defended the supposed transition to GCQ with small-scale lockdowns as an attempt of the government to recalibrate the country's pandemic response strategy.
The supposed policy shift however raised questions on the timing as the country battles rising COVID-19 infections driven mainly by the hyper-contagious Delta variant.