Shift to alert level 2 in Metro Manil by Nov. 15 urged

LEISURELY WALK: A couple takes their daughter for a stroll at Marikina River Park on Sunday. (Photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion is urging the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to downgrade Metro Manila to alert level 2 by Nov. 15.

The Palace announced on Friday that the National Capital Region (NCR) would remain on alert level 3 to provide more time for the monitoring of COVID-19 movement with fewer restrictions and avoid a sudden spike in cases.

“We are slowly and gradually easing the alert level system to avoid sudden surge of COVID-19 cases,” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

But according to Concepcion, the country’s capital region should be placed in the lower alert level 2 status following the increased vaccination rate and decline of new cases in the Metro.

“We called for an early lockdown in the first week of August to save the fourth quarter. That was quite unusual for the business sector, but we saw that the cases actually went down in October,” he said.

16,000 jobs added

Citing the projection of the National Economic and Development Authority, Concepcion noted that if the government would move NCR to alert level 2, the gross domestic product of the country would gain P3.6 billion and around 16,000 jobs would be recovered.

13th-month pay

“A lot of workers are also counting on receiving their 13th-month pay this quarter, but how can employers give them that if there is no additional capacity? … NCR has already vaccinated 85 percent of its eligible population, so the risk is really low,” he said.

The Go Negosyo founder said that beginning Nov. 15 until the end of the year, “we have to be on alert level 2 or we stand to lose a lot.”

“The Christmas and election spending will act as a stimulus to many businesses. For a lot of people, it will give them hope that 2022 will be better,” he said. “With hope, we can look forward to an alert level 1 status by the start of the year.” INQ