Concepcion favors Alert Level 1 status for NCR by December

This photo taken on November 7, 2020 shows a shopper watching the lighting ceremony of a 60-foot (18.29 meter) tall Christmas tree at the Mall of Asia in Manila. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion favors a downgrading of the alert level status in Metro Manila to Alert Level 1 by December.

“I believe by December, at least December 1, we should move towards Alert Level 1 if as [OCTA Research fellow] Professor Guido [David] has presented, these cases will continue to go down and hopefully we’ll continue to maintain it where it is,” Concepcion said in an online media forum on Thursday where members of the OCTA Research group were also present.

Under Alert Level 1, all people may engage in all activities and establishments may operate at full capacity, provided that they follow minimum public health standards. The exceptions are those in areas under a granular lockdown.

“But let us not rest on that. Let us take a more aggressive role in vaccinating our citizens especially in the provincial areas,” he added.

Concepcion pointed out that businesses, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), continue to be affected by the pandemic.

“My own view is as the numbers continue to go down, I think we should open up. I understand our medical doctors because they have been at the forefront, but I hope they also understand the plight of many MSMEs who are really challenged at this point in time,” he added. “We really have to try to open and save most of them while cases are going down.”

Meanwhile, David said OCTA Research is not seeing a threat for a surge in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.

“When we see rising cases and when we see that hospitals are being threatened, we will alert the public and media. But right now what we are seeing is the risk is at a level that is quite low and the risk of resurgence, we believe, is not as significant,” he said.

“There may be a risk, but we can always calibrate our strategy if we are seeing a spike in cases… But right now, cases are down. As long as people are mindful of health protocols, we are not seeing a significant threat in rising cases,” David added.

Metro Manila remains under Alert Level 2 until November 21. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said Metro Manila may be placed under Alert Level 1 if the daily COVID-19 cases nationwide drop to just below 1,000.

/MUF