NCR mayors seek stricter rules as IATF allows contact sports under Alert Level 2

After the Inter-Agency ask Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) allowed indoor and outdoor contact sports in areas under a COVID-19 Alert Level 2, National Capital Region mayors nevertheless recommended more stringent health guidelines to govern these sporting situations.

Under IATF guidelines, indoor sports could be played at 50% capacity, while outdoor events were allowed at 70% capacity just as along as everyone was vaccinated.

Minors aged 12-18 year olds were also allowed to participate in contact sports even if they have not been vaccinated, a condition Metro Manila mayors were recommending against.

According to MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos, NCR mayors have already submitted their recommendations to the Inter-Agency ask Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Abalos also underscored the need for Metro Manila mayors to recommend to the IATF a unified and official stand on the conduct of contact sports in the metropolis.

"A technical working group, headed by Department of Health (DOH)-NCR Regional Director Dr. Gloria Balboa, was created to study the possible conduct of contact sports. It underwent a very tedious process," said Abalos during the press briefing at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City.

“Since players are susceptible to physical proximity with one another while spectators are inclined to cheer or chant in a crowd, having them fully vaccinated will reduce the risk of transmission,” he added.

Under MMDA Resolution No. 21-28, Metro Manila mayors unanimously agreed to recommend the following policy guideline that focuses on venue capacity limitations, vaccination status, observance of minimum public health standards, and contact tracing.

Among the recommended rules are:

• only fully-vaccinated adults and minors shall be allowed to play or watch in an organized or unorganized event,
• players or spectators who are symptomatic shall be barred from any sporting event,
• local government units shall have the prerogative to allow or disallow spectators in any contact sport event as the circumstances may require,
• players shall have the option not to wear face masks while playing. However, when not playing, the players must wear face masks and observe social distancing,
• spectators and all other persons shall wear face masks and observe social distancing at all times, and
• the organizer, venue owner, or operator shall have a written registry and health declaration of participants, spectators, and all other persons in the event stating their names, addresses, and contact numbers and conduct temperature check and verification of vaccination cards

“With these guidelines we are recommending to the IATF, we can help the contact sports industry to get back in the game and give motivation to the public, especially the sports enthusiasts, to get fully vaccinated,” Abalos said.

“However, we have to wait for the IATF’s approval on this matter,” he added.

Earlier, the IATF has approved the de-escalation of the quarantine status in Metro Manila to Alert Level 2 from November 5, 2021 until November 21, 2021. —LBG/DVM, GMA News