Roque: Zumba OK in alert level 2 areas

SWING AND SWEAT Along with videoke singing and caroling, another community activity can resume: the fun and fat-burning Zumba sessions that attract mostly women. In this photo taken in Quezon City in February this year, Zumba sessions were already allowed but were later banned again due to a COVID-19 case surge caused by the Delta variant of the coronavirus. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Let’s dance and burn that quarantine fat and let Harry Roque lead the way, Zumba lovers!

It was the presidential spokesperson himself who said “It’s Zumba time again,” when he announced on Friday that “noncontact exercise” in gyms and other fitness venues were now allowed in Metro Manila and other areas under alert level 2, the second least restrictive alert level.

Individual exercise

According to a resolution by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), face masks are still required at all times for patrons and workers in these establishments. The resumption of group exercises comes more than a year after gyms were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the fresh surge in coronavirus cases in March, as the country marked its first year into the pandemic, the IATF allowed these venues to reopen, but only for individual exercise.

Alerts outside Metro

They were closed again, amid the surge in Delta variant cases beginning in July, and were among the last establishments permitted to return to business as they were considered high risk for COVID-19 transmission.

Before the reopening of gyms, the IATF allowed outdoor exercises such as walking, biking and jogging within an individual’s general area of residence.

The alert levels system, so named because it is composed of five “alert levels,” was first implemented in Metro Manila when the IATF declared the capital region to be under only one quarantine status, general community quarantine, on Sept. 16.

Besides Metro Manila, which was placed under alert level 2 on Nov. 5, the other areas under that level until Sunday are Angeles City, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac, Batangas, Quezon province, Lucena City, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu Province, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Iligan City, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental.

Although these many areas are already under level 2, only a few regions so far are under the alert levels system.

The IATF has set a timetable for the system’s continued expansion in the regions—after Calabarzon, Central Visayas and Davao regions were placed under alert levels in October, followed by Central Luzon, Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao on Nov. 1.

Beginning on Friday, the Ilocos Region, Eastern Visayas and the Soccsksargen Region were also placed under the system.

On Nov. 17, Cagayan Valley, the Bicol Region and the Zamboanga Peninsula would be under alert levels as well. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH