I-ACT ready to implement policies if NCR will be placed under Alert Level 2, says exec

The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) on Thursday said it is ready to implement measures for the re-tightening of restrictions should Metro Manila be placed under the stricter Alert Level 2.

“Lagi tayong handa diyan. Kung ngayon sabihin na ganito po ang standard  natin…agad-agaran po nating ipapatupad ‘yan,” said I-ACT chief Charlie del Rosario at the Laging Handa public briefing.

(We’re always ready for that. If they’ll say that ‘this is our standard’ we’ll immediately implement that.)

“Hindi natin lalagyan ng kadahilanan na hindi kayang ipatupad. Ipapatupad natin kung ano ang kautusan,” he said.

(We won’t give excuses that we cannot do it. We’ll assure orders will be implemented.)

On Wednesday, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved the recommendation to retain Metro Manila and several areas in the country will remain under Alert Level 1 — the most relaxed in the COVID-19 alert system — from June 16 until the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term on June 30, 2022.

This comes after the Department of Health (DOH) warned the Metro may be placed under Alert Level 2 if the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the capital region continues to rise.

Under the stricter Alert Level 2, certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50 percent capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated), and 70 percent capacity outdoors. Intrazonal and interzonal movements are also allowed.

Del Rosario, for its part, assured the public that I-ACT is continuing the implementation of minimum public health standards in public transportation including the wearing of masks.

Further, he said “balance” must be kept between the economy and public health safety following calls to limit mobility in the capital region anew due to the uptick in its COVID-19 cases.

“Ako’y naniniwala na dapat tingnan at balansehin sa pang ekonomiya na kadahilanan  at ganun na rin po sa health issues,” said Del Rosario.

(I believe they should balance the economy and public health issues.)

“Di po natin pwede basta bastang sabihin na hindi dapat o dapat. Ang tinitingnan po natin dyan, may mga eksperto na makakapagsabi nyan at kung ano po hihilingin sa atin, ‘yun ang ating ipapatupad,” he added.

(We cannot just say it should be allowed or not. We have experts who can recommend what’s best for us. But whatever the directive is, we’ll implement it.) — RSJ, GMA News