MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila mayors recommended the retention of the COVID-19 Alert Level 2 status in the capital region until the end of February.
Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, chairman of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), shared to INQUIRER.net the decision of the mayors.
The MMC is composed of the National Capital Region’s 17 mayors.
“Retain alert level 2 until the end of the month,” Olivarez replied via text message when asked about the recommendation of the MMC is on Metro Manila’s alert level.
He added that the recommendation has already been submitted to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) released a copy of Resolution No. 22-04 series of 2022 which contains the recommendation of the mayors.
The mayors noted that there is a downward trend in the National Capital Region’s (NCR) hospital care utilization rate and COVID-19 bed utilization rate.
They also cited that only five out of NCR’s 17 local government units have a low-risk classification while the rest have a moderate risk classification.
Despite the “encouraging” data, the MMC unanimously decided to extend the Alert Level 2 status due to three considerations.
“There is an urgent need to further await an improvement in the risk classifications of the 12 Metro Manila Local Government Units which are presently under Moderate Risk Classification,” the resolution read.
“The economic gains and advancement in health care which were realized in the past weeks under Alert Level 2 must be preserved, maintained, and improved; and a less stringent alert level in the NCR may potentially result in super spreader events in the Region especially with the start of the May 2022 election campaign period,” it further stated.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire appeared not inclined yet to shift to Alert Level 1, citing that the case trends are still at moderate risk.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante earlier said that the Alert Level 2 status should remain for now because the transmission rate of the virus is still high.
Of the five-tier alert level system, Metro Manila is currently under Alert Level 2 until February 15.