Alert Level 3 extension lighter compared to lockdowns – NEDA

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) believes that the economic impact of undergoing Alert Level 3 in Metro Manila and other areas will not be as severe.

According to NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon, this is compared to previous lockdowns implemented by the government following the increase in COVID-19 cases.

ADVERTISEMENT

It will be recalled that the IATF has subjected the NCR and other areas in the country to Alert Level 3 until the end of January to prevent further increases in COVID-19 cases.

“What we are looking at right now is the fact that the alert level system is actually, is more of a balancing act with respect to the health and economic objectives and we have seen that indeed the numbers are much tamer, in terms of its impact versus what we had before the ECQ, the MECQ,” said Edillon in a virtual press briefing.

The official believes that the high vaccination rate in populated areas has played a big role.

ADVERTISEMENT

Alert Level 3 extension lighter compared to lockdowns – NEDA

“Second, we have high vaccination rate in the metropolitan areas, namely your NCR and your plus areas and in the Visayas, in Cebu, in Davao. That is a very, very good protection for our kababayans,” she said.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez also said that the government no longer sees the need for lockdowns even though the number of cases affected by the virus increases.

“As we can see, while the numbers have increased, if you look at the the number of the severe and critical cases, we have been saying that it is the parameter that we should look at…and the numbers did not increase, in fact they have decreased,” said Lopez.

ADVERTISEMENT

“What is important is the severe and critical are cases that can overwhelm the hospital and the health care infrastructure, and if that number does not increase then there less risk to overwhelm the health system, and with that we can be more or less assured there is less need of a lockdown,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lopez also boasted that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Filipinos who found jobs in the country would increase in 2021.

Visit our Facebook page for more  updates.