Metro Manila eased to general community quarantine: govt

Aug 18, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Philippines, Top of the deck  

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A number of Philippine communities including places with casinos, such as Metro Manila, is having a Covid-19 lockdown status eased back to general community quarantine from so-called “modified enhanced community quarantine”, with effect from Wednesday (August 19) until August 31 inclusive.

Metro Manila (pictured in a file photo), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal are subject to such easing, according to a statement late on Monday, by President Rodrigo Duterte.

At the time this story went online, it was not clear whether so-called “dry runs” of casino operations at Metro Manila casinos – that had been permitted during part of the second quarter – i.e., since early June – when the more relaxed general community quarantine had been in place for a time in the capital, would be resumed. Metro Manila’s restrictions had been retightened to modified enhanced community quarantine from August 4.

According to financial results filed by the respective operators of Solaire Resort and Casino, and the City of Dreams Manila, and Resorts World Manila casino complexes, such dry runs generated the equivalent of millions of U.S. dollars in the second quarter, during the general community quarantine period.

Such dry runs were not permitted during the period from August 4 to August 18, when Metro Manila had reverted to modified enhanced community quarantine, according to a Friday filing to Nasdaq on behalf of Melco Resorts and Entertainment (Philippines) Corp, the unit of Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd that runs City of Dreams Manila.

According to Monday’s announcement from the Philippine national authorities, the communities of Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Quezon, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Lapu Lapu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, and the municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion in Cebu, remain under general community quarantine.

The rest of the country has been eased to modified general community quarantine, the lowest level of lockdown.

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