Metro Manila mayors to discuss next alert level recommendation on Feb. 22

(INQUIRER.net file photo / Jonathan Vicente)

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila mayors will discuss on Tuesday, February 22, their recommendation on the alert level in the capital region.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority officer in charge and general manager Romando Artes said Monday that the mayors will base their suggestion on data from the Department of Health (DOH), Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19.

“Iyan po ay pag-uusapan namin bukas nang gabi. Mayroon pong gaganapin na pagpupulong ang mga mayors ng Kalakhang Maynila,” Artes said during the Laging Handa public briefing.

(We will tackle that tomorrow night. There will be a meeting among Metro Manila mayors.)

“I don’t want to preempt ang magiging desisyon ng mga mayors pero asahan po natin na ‘yan po ay ibabase ng mga mayors sa datos po na araw-araw naman po nare-receive namin from DOH, IATF, NTF at ganu’n din po ‘yung kanilang experience nila sa ground,” he added.

(I don’t want to preempt the mayors’ decision but it will be based on data that we receive everyday from DOH, IATF, NTF, and their experience on the ground.)

Artes shared that they will consider the risk classification, healthcare utilization rate, and the downward trend in COVID-19 infections in coming up with their decision.

Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 until the end of February.

Of the 1,712 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Sunday, 369 were from Metro Manila.

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