Metro Manila imposes 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew for aged 17 and below –Olivarez

The National Capital Region (NCR) imposed a 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew on youths aged 17 years old and below, Metro Manila Council chairperson Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said on Tuesday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Olivarez added that Metro Manila mayors had not yet agreed on curfew hours for adults.

“’Yun pong ating curfew pinatutupad po natin yan sa minor. Lahat po kami, local government unit (LGU) sa Metro Manila, may specific ordinance. Yung atin pong mga 17 and below ‘yan po ay pinai-implement po ang ating curfew from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m.,” Olivarez said.

(We are enforcing the curfew for minors. All local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila have a specific ordinance that those aged 17 and below will have a curfew from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m.)

“Sa minor po ‘yan that is 17 years old and below, yung po adults wala pa pong curfew na pinagkakasunduan po doon,” he added.

(For minors that are 17 years old and below, while the adults do not have an agreed upon curfew yet.)

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) had placed the NCR under Alert Level 3 from January 3 to 15, 2022 following the sharp increase in new COVID-19 infections in the country.

Olivarez said the Metro Manila Council, composed of 17 mayors, agreed to keep the region under Alert Level 3 given that the health care utilization rate of the region reached 55%.

“Base sa data na ibinigay ng DOH (Department of Health) yung ating health care utilization rate ay umaabot ng 55%. Doon po sa pamantayan ng ating DOH at IATF yung pong 70% na healthcare utilization rate doon po umaabot yung Alert Level 4, so andoon pa po tayo sa Alert Level 3,” he explained.

(Based on data provided by the DOH, our health care utilization rate reached 55%. According to DOH and IATF standards, a 70% healthcare utilization rate means an Alert Level 4, so we are still at Alert Level 3.)

Olivarez added that they would assess the situation after a week to see if there were changes in the health care utilization rate.

Face shields

Meanwhile, Olivarez said they would also strengthen their resolution on mobility restrictions on unvaccinated individuals, unless they are buying and accessing essential goods and services, while the region is under Alert Level 3.

Asked if the use of face shields would be made mandatory amid the rising COVID-19 infections, “Wala pa ho yan nag-iintay pa po tayo ng scientific study through science kung ang face shield ay nakakatulong. Pero sa huling pulong po namin, hindi pa rin po compulsory ang face shield, it is  voluntary na pwedeng gamitin ng ating mga constituents.”

(We are still waiting for a scientific study if the face shield helps. But in our last meeting, the face shield is still not compulsory. Its use is still voluntary.)

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

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday floated the possibility of upgrading the NCR to an Alert Level 4 as COVID-19 cases continued to surge and the healthcare utilization rate in the region was nearing moderate risk. — DVM, GMA News