(FILE) A police officer keeps watch on a section of Parkland Avenue in Barangay 177, Caloocan City, on Sept. 7, enforcing an example of a granular lockdown. INQUIRER file photo / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the implementation of the alert level system across the entire country.
Based on Executive Order No. 151, signed by Duterte and a copy of which was released to reporters on Thursday, the implementation will be undertaken in four phases.
The areas currently under the alert level system are classified under the first phase. These are Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Davao Region.
Areas under Phase 2 are the Ilocos Region, Eastern Visayas, and Soccsksargen.
Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, and the Zamboanga Peninsula will be under Phase 3.
Phase 4 will include the Cordillera Administrative Region, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The shift to Phase 2 may commence no later than November. The succeeding phases, meanwhile, will kick off every week thereafter until it reaches full nationwide implementation.
The five-tier alert level system was launched in Metro Manila on September 16 in a bid to balance health amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy which was badly hit by the crisis.
The following is the description of the five levels in the alert system, with Alert Level 5 equivalent to an enhanced community quarantine:
Alert Level 1 – COVID-19 transmission in the area is low and decreasing and the total bed utilization rate, and intensive care unit utilization rates are also low
Alert Level 2 – COVID-19 transmission in the area is low and decreasing and healthcare utilization is low, or the transmission is low but increasing, and total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rates are increasing
Alert Level 3 – COVID-19 transmission and high and/or increasing and the total bed and ICU utilization rates are also increasing
Alert Level 4 – COVID-19 transmission is high and/or increasing and the total bed and ICU utilization rates are also high
Alert Level 5 – The highest alert level, refers to areas where COVID-19 transmission is alarming and the total bed and ICU utilization rates are critical