NCR may shift to Alert Level 2 in November; IATF to discuss decision Thursday —DILG spox

The National Capital Region is expected to shift to Alert Level 2 from Alert Level 3 in November, Interior and Local Government spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said Thursday.

Malaya cited the continuous decline of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila for two weeks by 48% as one of the reasons.

“I would expect maybe in the next month because next week is already November…If this trend continues, we can really look forward to a lowering of the alert level very soon,” he added in an ANC interview.

Malaya noted that the Department of Health and the data analytics team of the Inter-Agency Task Force have the authority to decide on the matter.

According to him, the IATF is set to have a meeting on Thursday to discuss the designation of alert levels.

“There's a meeting actually today of the IATF to make those decisions,” he said.

Under Alert Level 2, Malaya said establishments will be allowed to operate indoors at 50% capacity with additional 10% capacity if they have a safety seal. For outdoors, they will be allowed at 70%.

Malaya said that IATF is also considering allowing minors who are accompanied by their parents inside malls.

The NCR is under Alert Level 3 from October 16 until 31.—AOL, GMA News