Metro Manila bans minors from going outdoors for two weeks starting tomorrow, March 17

The ban will be implemented in all the 17 cities and one municipality that comprise the National Capital Region (NCR).

Amid the alarming surge of COVID-19 cases in NCR, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that only individuals aged 18 to 65 years old will be allowed to go outdoors.

MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos said on Tuesday that the Metro Manila Council is drafting a resolution prohibiting minors, particularly aged 15 to 17, from leaving their homes for a period of two weeks.

Abalos also said the move has been agreed upon by the Metro Manila mayors to control the rising cases of COVID-19 in NCR.

"We are implementing age restrictions because of the increase in our COVID-19 cases. We encourage everyone to strictly observe and practice the minimum health protocols, and be extra careful and follow stringent measures particularly when around vulnerable family members, as there have been reports of transmission among family members,” Abalos noted.

Just last month, the Metro Manila mayors allowed the same age group to go out for leisure travel as part of efforts to gradually revitalize the flagging economy.

Starting yesterday, a two-week implementation of uniform curfew hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) is in effect, the same day when the country logged 5,404 new COVID-19 cases, the highest in seven months.