Despite pleas from various business groups for lower quarantine classification in Metro Manila to spur economic activities, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has recommended that Metro Manila will remain under Alert Level 3.
DESPITE passionate pleas from several big business groups and government economic planners including NEDA Director General Kendrick Chua for a deescalated quarantine restrictions, Metro Manila will remain under Alert Level 3 from November 1 to 14.
At least 25 more provinces and cities were also placed under the Inter-Agency Task Force’s (IATF) alert level system.
Malacañang said Friday (October 29) that the IATF has approved the recommendation to further expand the pilot implementation of the Alert Levels System (ALS) to Central Luzon, Western Visayas, and Northern Mindanao, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
"Nagpulong po kahapon ang IATF kung saan inaprubahan ang rekomendasyon na i-expand ang pagpapatupad ng pilot implementation ng alert levels system sa tatlo pang rehiyon," Roque, also acting as IATF-EID spokesperson, said in a virtual presser.
P3.6 –B weekly
Earlier, Chua told business reporters that it was about time that the government downgrades the classification to Alert Level 2.
He noted the declining number of new infections, growing supplies of vaccines and huge jump in number of people being inoculated daily as reasons for a downgrade.
Buoyed by these developments, he is confident that the economy would return to its vibrant state once Metro Manila is downgraded to Alert Level 2 from the current Alert Level 3.
He believes that under Alert Level 2, Metro Manila will yield P3.6 billion weekly and 16,0000 jobs for the same period.
At Alert Level 1, a bigger P10.3 billion per week and 43,000 jobs per week will be realized.
For areas outside Metro Manila, shifting to Alert Level 2 will yield P4.7 billion and 20,000 jobs per week.
Alert Level 4
Roque said Alert Level 4 will be implemented in Aurora, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Davao Occidental.
Meanwhile, aside from Metro Manila, the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Iloilo City, Siquijor, Lanao del Norte, and Davao del Norte, as well as Davao City, will be under Alert Level 3.
Baguio City, while being placed under Alert Level 3 will be deemed as "an area for special monitoring".
Alert Level 2
Alert Level 2 will be imposed in Angeles City, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac, Batangas, Quezon province, Lucena City, Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Guimaras.
It will also be imposed in Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu Province, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Iligan City, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.
Originally, only 14 provinces and five cities joined Metro Manila in the pilot implementation of ALS from October 20 to 31.
Quarantine classifications
Meantime, the IATF-EID also approved the new quarantine levels in the country for the month of November, Roque said.
Roque said Mountain Province, Catanduanes, and Zamboanga City will be under the more stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from November 1 to 15.
The general community quarantine (GCQ) status "with heightened restrictions will be implemented in Abra, Cagayan, Isabela, City of Santiago, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino for the whole month of November, Roque said.
On the other hand, the regular GCQ will be imposed in Ifugao, Benguet, Apayao, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Dagupan City, Batanes, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Albay, Naga City, Camarines Norte, and Tacloban City.
Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, General Santos City, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, Cotabato City, and Lanao del Sur will also be under the more relaxed GCQ, Roque said.
"All other areas not mentioned shall be placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) for the whole month of November 2021," he added.
Based on Roque's presentation, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Ormoc City, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Isabela City, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi will be placed under MGCQ from November 1 to 30.
(with report from PNA)
Tags: #InterAgencyTaskForce, #quarantinestatus, #Covid19, #AlertLevelsSystem