MANILA — Victory Liner announced Monday it is suspending operations until further notice following the government pronouncement that the entire Luzon is placed under "enhanced community quarantine."

"To all our dear passengers, employees, family and friends, after the declaration of the 'enhanced community quarantine of the entire Luzon,' we deemed it fit to temporarily suspend our entire operations," the company said in its Facebook page.

Hours earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that an enhanced community quarantine will take effect in Luzon, according to Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, adding that the measure will be "effective immediately."

The provincial bus company said their "buses are being flagged down by authorities from various municipalities" and were "asked to return back to our terminals and garage."

An earlier Palace memorandum characterized "enhanced community quarantine" as entailing:

• Strict home quarantine in all households;
• Suspended transportation lines;
• Regulated provision for food and essential health services; and,
• Heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures.

As of Sunday, there are 140 COVID-19 cases in the country, including 12 fatalities.

More areas outside Metro Manila have also declared quarantine measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 across the country.