(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO /GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
MANILA, Philippines — Alert Level 4 will remain in effect in Metro Manila amid the COVID-19 pandemic until October 15, although some businesses will be allowed to expand operations, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Thursday.
Lopez made the announcement after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF) met to discuss quarantine restrictions.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) chief said the government’s pandemic task force has increased the allowable indoor capacities for dine-in services, in-person religious services and personal care services by 10%.
This means the allowed indoor capacity for the said activities is now at 20%, but this can also be increased up to 30% provided that the establishment was granted the safety seal certification.
In a separate announcement, Malacañang said the IATF allowed gyms and fitness studios to reopen under Alert Level 4 at a limited 20% capacity for fully vaccinated clients, given that all gym workers are also fully vaccinated.
Clients and service providers are likewise required to wear face masks at all times and no group activities will be allowed, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.
He added that the IATF has also allowed community health workers to move within, into, and out of an area under granular lockdown if their institutions are unable to provide accommodations for them.
Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 4 last September 16 when the government piloted its new alert level system, with focus on granular lockdowns instead of region-wide quarantine restrictions.
The implementation of the new alert level system will only be for Metro Manila for now as the IATF thumbed down proposals to expand it to other areas.
Community quarantine classifications will remain in other areas beyond Metro Manila,
Roque said areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), the second strictest classification, from Oct. 1 to 15 are:
-Apayao
-Kalinga
-Batanes
-Bataan
-Bulacan
-Cavite
-Lucena City
-Rizal
-Laguna
-Naga City
-Iloilo Province
Meanwhile, areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions starting Oct. 1 until Oct. 31 are:
-Abra
-Baguio City
-Ilocos Sur
-Pangasinan
-Cagayan
-Isabela
-City of Santiago
-Nueva Vizcaya
-Quirino
-Quezon
-Batangas
-Bacolod City
-Capiz
-Iloilo City
-Lapu-Lapu City
-Negros Oriental
-Bohol
-Zamboanga del Norte
-Zamboanga del Sur
-Cagayan de Oro City
-Misamis Oriental
-Davao del Norte
-Davao Occidental
-Butuan City
-Surigao del Sur.
Roque said Davao de Oro will also be under GCQ with heightened restrictions but only from October 1 to 15.
Areas under GCQ from Oct. 1 to 31 are:
Luzon
-Ilocos Norte
-Dagupan City
-Benguet
-Ifugao
-Tarlac
-Marinduque
-Occidental Mindoro
-Oriental Mindoro
-Puerto Princesa
-Albay
-Camarines Norte
Visayas
-Aklan
-Antique
-Guimaras
-Negros Occidental
-Cebu City
-Cebu Province
-Mandaue City
-Siquijor
-Tacloban City
Mindanao
-Zamboanga Sibugay
-Zamboanga City
-Misamis Occidental
-Iligan City
-Davao City
-Davao Oriental
-Davao del Sur
-General Santos City
-Sultan Kudarat
-Sarangani
-North Cotabato
-South Cotabato
-Agusan del Norte
-Agusan del Sur
-Dinagat Islands
-Surigao del Norte
-Cotabato City
-Lanao del Sur
The rest of the Philippines will be under the least restrictive modified GCQ, Roque said. #