Philippine gov't extends COVID-19 Alert Level System outside NCR

Malacañang said Tuesday that the COVID-19 Alert Level System would be implemented outside Metro Manila from October 20 to October 31.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was referring to the system in which granular lockdowns or prohibitions on all kinds of mobility outside the residence are only enforced in areas where there are COVID-19 community transmissions.

Roque said Negros Oriental and Davao Occidental are now under Alert Level 4.

Those under Alert Level 3 include Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Siquijor, Davao City and Davao del Norte.

Areas under Alert Level 2 include: Batangas, Quezon, Lucena City, Bohol, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.

In addition, the metrics for placing areas under Level 1 will now include a 70% COVID-19 vaccine coverage of 70% of health workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities, as well as members of the workforce.

[READ: How the new COVID-19 alert levels and granular lockdowns work]

“This [expanded implementation] is still part of the pilot study and partly due to lower number of cases and decreased health care utilization in Metro Manila,” Roque said.

“If these numbers will further go down, anything is possible,” Roque added when asked if this policy would be sustained in the long run.

On Tuesday, the OCTA Research Group reported a 0.55 COVID-19 reproduction rate in Metro Manila - the lowest since May.

Roque also said Tuesday that there were around 24 million Filipinos fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far and that COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Metro Manila was at 92%. — DVM/KBK, GMA News