Metro Manila Council recommends to retain Alert Level 3 in NCR

The Metro Manila Council does not yet see a need to upgrade the quarantine status in the National Capital Region (NCR) to Alert Level 4 amid the increasing COVID-19 infections, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Benhur Abalos said Monday.

“Ang napagkasunduan ng mga mayors is for the meantime, we will maintain Alert Level 3,” Abalos said during a virtual press conference.

(What the mayors have decided is to maintain Alert Level 3 for the meantime.)

He noted that the hospital bed utilization in NCR is only slightly increasing with the intensive care unit (ICU) bed utilization at 43% on Thursday, 48% on Friday, 51% on Saturday, and 52% on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the ward beds are at 50% utilization on Thursday, 59% on Friday, 62% on Saturday, and 65% on Sunday.

Following the metrics set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), Abalos said the NCR should remain on Alert Level 3 as its HCUR is only at 51%.

He cited the IATF data that under Alert Level 4, about 71-84% of the total beds should be utilized.

“We would continuously monitor specifically the HCUR (healthcare utilization rate) kung ano mangyayari dito at kung kinakailangan dalhin sa Alert Level 4 at any time, papasok po namin,” Abalos said.

(We would continuously monitor specifically the HCUR on what will happen and if there’s a need to upgrade to Alert Level 4, then we will enter.)

Metro Manila is currently under Alert Level 3 until January 15.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday floated the possibility of upgrading the NCR to Alert Level 4 as COVID-19 cases continue to surge and HCUR in the region is nearing moderate risk.

But Malacañang, through acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles, said there is no need to place Metro Manila under stricter Alert Level 4 just yet.

"On bed utilization, we are not hitting the metrics yet, and this is because the National Capital Region has 100% COVID-19 vaccination coverage," Nograles said earlier in the day.

"Those who got infected with COVID-19 [here] are experiencing mild symptoms, if not asymptomatic, and are sick for two to three days," he added.

Abalos however said there is no specific date until when they would recommend the retention of Alert Level 3 in NCR, but if the HCUR further increases in NCR, they would be the one to call the attention of the Department of Health.

He also noted that as of January 8, a total of 10,534,251 or 107.49% of people in Metro Manila have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Meanwhile, 11,185,801 or 114.14% received their first dose and 924,593 received booster shots.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday also said that the government is not yet discussing possibilities of reimposing a lockdown or raising the quarantine status to Alert Level 5 as it has no merits as of the moment.

The Metro Manila Council, composed of the 17 NCR mayors, earlier approved that unvaccinated residents in Metro Manila will be ordered to stay at home unless they are buying and accessing essential goods and services while the National Capital Region is under Alert Level 3.

Aside from Metro Manila, its adjacent provinces Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal are also under until January 15, while Laguna is under the same alert level starting January 7 until January 15.

Fourteen more cities and provinces were placed under Alert Level 3 starting January 9 until 15.

Under Alert Level 3, several establishments are allowed to operate at 30% indoor venue capacity only for fully vaccinated individuals and 50% outdoor venue capacity, provided that all employees are fully vaccinated. —KG/KBK, GMA News