Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal to be placed under Alert Level 3 on January 5

VIRUS-FREE? The shoppers are back in Divisoria, Manila, on Sunday, crowding around stalls but apparently forgetting to keep safe physical distancing. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines — Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal — three provinces closest to Metro Manila — will be placed under the more stringent Alert Level 3 starting January 5, acting presidential spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Tuesday, noting the spike in COVID-19 infections.

“Due to a sharp increase of COVID-19 cases in the particular localities, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) approved yesterday, January 3, 2022, the recommendation of its sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics to escalate Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal to Alert Level 3,” he said in a statement.

The heightened alert status will be imposed until January 15.

Aside from these provinces, the National Capital Region escalated to Alert Level 3 on January 3 after recording a rise in COVID-19 infections and cases of the Omicron variant.

Under IATF guidelines on Alert Level 3, intrazonal and interzonal travel are subject to “reasonable restrictions” that may be imposed by local government units.

Individuals aged 18 below and those belonging in the vulnerable population are likewise permitted access and travel to procure and avail essential goods and services, and for work.

The following are the establishments and activities that are restricted under Alert Level 3:
-face-to-face classes in basic education
-contact sports
-fun fairs
-karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters
-casinos
-casinos, horse racing, cockfighting, operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops and other gaming establishments aside from those that will be allowed by the IATF or the Office of the President
-social gatherings where individuals do not belong in the same household

The following activities, meanwhile, will be permitted with 30-percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and 50-percent outdoor capacity:
-cinemas
-meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions
-social events such wedding parties, engagements, debut, birthday parties
-tourist attractions including libraries
-amusement parks
-recreational venues
-in-person religious gatherings
-licensure exams
-dine-in services
-personal care services
-fitness studios, non-contact sports
-film, music, television production

The rest of the country, meanwhile, is under Alert Level 2.

On Monday, the country logged 4,084 new COVID-19 cases, driving the overall tally to 2,855,819.

EDV