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MANILA - San Juan City is prepared should national government further ease Metro Manila's lockdown to general community quarantine (GCQ), Mayor Francis Zamora said Tuesday.

The city, which recorded the country's first local transmission of COVID-19, reported no new cases on May 22 and 23, the mayor said in a social media post.

"Regardless of what our community quarantine will be by June 1, I believe San Juan is already prepared. In fact we have set this up already," Zamora told ANC, adding that Metro Manila mayors will meet later Tuesday to discuss lockdown measures.

"What is really important is the slow transition into the new normal. We really have to start transitioning not just ourselves but also our businesses."

Zamora said he signed an executive order directing businesses to submit their return to work plans, requiring them to follow medical protocols and getting their certificate of compliance from the City Health Office.

"We want to strike a balance betwee health and safety of the people and help the economy. We cannot do this overnight," he said.

Greenhills Shopping Center, which was frequented by the country's 5th COVID-19 patient, has "cut a big number" of tiangges and modified its layout to enforce physical distancing, according to Zamora.

• LOOK: Greenhills virtually deserted, as coronavirus scare grips mall

The city has so far done 3,858 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, with 40 positive results, Zamora said. Some 697 test results are pending, he added.

"Looking at this data gives me optimism and it points to the fact that all the interventions we've been doing in San Juan, both medical and social are bearing positive results. But this is still not the time to relax. We must continue to work hard to follow the protocols," he said.

"One thing I commend our constituents about is they have been very disciplined, cooperative, and they follow rules and regulations here in our city."

The Philippines as of Monday recorded 14,319 cases of COVID-19, with 3,323 recoveries and 873 deaths.

• Philippines records 284 new COVID-19 cases, highest in two weeks