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COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines

COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines were a series of stay-at-home orders and cordon sanitaire measures that were implemented by the government of the Philippines through its Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines

March 15, 2020 – November 15, 2021 (Community Quarantines)
(1 year and 8 months)
November 16, 2021 - July 22, 2023 (Alert Level System)
(1 year, 8 months and 6 days)[a]

Checkpoints for checking the motivation for travel, banning of public events, closure of commercial and retail businesses, closure of schools and universities, and other prohibitions.

As of November 2021, under the original classification system that was enacted in 2020, there were four main quarantine tiers. In Metro Manila there is now an alert level system (ALS) which has been introduced in September 2021 and it is already in place. As of November 2021, all regions of the country have been covered by the ALS system, which has become the national standard.[1]


In the original classification system, the strictest community quarantines is the "enhanced community quarantine" (ECQ), which effectively is a total lockdown. According to the ALS, there are five tiers of alert level, with alert level 1 being the most lenient and alert level 5 being the most strict.

Limitations on all forms of transportation

Work suspensions and the setting up of alternative working arrangements such as

remote work

Ensuring the supply of food and medical products

Measures against profiteering and hoarding of essential goods

Provision allowing a 30-day grace period for loan and rental payments during the quarantine period

Cancellation of mass gatherings

Closure of non-essential businesses

24/7 opening of essential businesses and utilities in 100% operational capacity