Duterte adviser: Better for NCR to stay under Alert Level 2 ‘til year’s end

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, who has been pushing for the deescalation of the alert level in the National Capital Region (NCR) to 1, had a change of heart.

Concepcion is now supporting to keep Metro Manila under Alert Level 2 for the remainder of the year.

“Ang tingin namin okay na rin ang Alert Level 2,” he said during the Laging Handa briefing on Friday.

(We think that Alert Level 2 is alright.)

The presidential adviser said business establishments are already seeing about 80% of pre-pandemic sales as more people are allowed to get out which helps consumer spending to pick up.

“There is more mobility, which is good, and that’s what we need. Consumer spending has started to pick in so the cash flow of MSMEs are getting better,” Concepcion said in a mix of Filipino and English

“Now, the biggest challenge is how to sustain this moving forward. While we can qualify for alert level 1, we should stay in Alert Level 2 so we can sustain this until the year 2022… That’s why it's better if we first stay at Alert Level 2,” he said.

The presidential adviser earlier pushed to downgrade the alert level in NCR to 1 come December.

However, the government decided to keep Metro Manila under Alert Level 2 from December 1 to 15.

Under Alert Level 2—the second lowest in the new alert level system—certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated) and 70% capacity outdoors.

Under Alert Level I, on the other hand, all businesses are allowed to operate at full-site capacity, subject to minimum public health standards. — RSJ, GMA News