President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night stretched Metro Manila’s general community quarantine (GCQ) placement until January 31, 2021.

Aside from Metro Manila, Isabela, Santiago City, Batangas, Iloilo, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan City, Davao City and Davao del Norte will also be under GCQ.

The rest of the country will be under modified GCQ, the least stringent among the country’s quarantine classifications.

The classifications, which will take into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, will be in place as the Philippines braces for a new and more infectious strain of the coronavirus.

The country has recorded 470,650 total cases as of Dec. 28. John Ezekiel J. Hirro