He said the mayors of Metro Manila are in favor of placing the National Capital Region (NCR) at the lowest Alert Level 1 from the current Alert Level 2 starting March 1, 2022.
Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, head of the Metro Manila Council, announced this on Wednesday, after the mayors of the region met on Tuesday night.
Under Alert Level 1, all ages will be allowed intrazonal and interzonal travel. All establishments or activities will also be allowed to operate, or even at full on-site or venue/seating capacity but must comply with the set minimum public health standards.
In MMDA Resolution No. 22-06, the MMC announced that the situation of COVID-19 in the region has improved and the vaccination rate is high.
“… The Metro Manila Council has taken a uniform and united position to urge the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to place the NCR under COVID-19 Alert Level 1 Status starting on 01 March 2022,” he said.
He said the mayors of Metro Manila are ready and able to implement the health and safety protocols set by the IATF under the recommended Alert Level 1 status.
At the news conference, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officer-in-charge and general manager Romando Artes said the IATF will generally consider the MMC’s recommendation.
Metro Manila mayors favor Alert Level 1 starting March 1
“Traditionally po, sinusundan namn po o pinagbibigyan naman ng IATF ang kahilingan ng Metro Manila mayors,” he said.
According to Artes, in Alert Level 1, most of the restrictions on capacity and travel will be removed, and the wearing of face masks and social distancing will remain.
On Tuesday, the independent monitoring group OCTA Research said that the positivity rate in NCR was only 4.9%, in line with the World Health Organization’s recommendation no more than 5%.
According to the WHO, the total number of illnesses worldwide dropped by 21 percent or 13 million from February 14 to 20.
During that period, it even recorded a 29 percent increase in COVID-19 cases in the Western Pacific region, which includes the Philippines.
The WHO reminded people to be careful when looking at COVID-19 data.
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