Alert level system rollout beyond pilot areas starts Nov. 12

(FILE) Friday almost feels like a pre-pandemic Sunday at Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City, after the government downgraded restrictions in the national capital to alert level 2 and also announced that, yes, finally, kids can be kids again—outside their homes. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The rollout of the government’s new alert level system beyond the pilot areas began this Friday, Nov. 12, Malacañang said.

Phase 2 of the alert level system implementation includes the Ilocos Region, Eastern Visayas, and Soccsksargen, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

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.

Meanwhile, Phase 3, which will start on Nov. 17, includes Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

And the last phase of the rollout, Phase 4, which will begin on Nov. 22 will include Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions IV-B, XIII (CARAGA), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Roque said.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved the nationwide implementation of the five-tier alert level system, which shifted the focus on granular lockdowns from the previous community-wide quarantine restrictions.

The National Task Force against COVID-19 and the Department of Information and Technology are tasked to provide daily vaccination data to be able to assess areas placed under Alert Level 1.

The small technical group on safety seal is also directed to finalize the list of 3Cs (Crowded, Closed, Close Contact) establishments included in the metrics for Alert Level 1 de-escalation, Roque said.

Local government units are required to conduct an inventory of the total number of 3Cs establishments, including those with safety seals.

The IATF also approved the easing of Mountain Province to general community quarantine starting Nov. 16 until Nov. 30, Roque said.

The new alert level system was piloted in Metro Manila starting Sept. 16.

/MUF