The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases placed the entire Cebu Province — including Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City — under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 beginning Oct. 20 until Oct. 31, 2021.
In his virtual press conference Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, Presidential Spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr. announced that the IATF passed Resolution 144-D expanding the COVID-19 Alert Level System to some areas outside Metro Manila.
The Alert Level System, which has been piloted in Metro Manila since Sept. 16, 2021, refers to the new community quarantine classifications for dealing with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Instead of placing entire towns or cities or provinces under lockdown, LGUs may now enforce granular lockdowns that will affect only households, street, condominium floor or building, or barangays.
This system has five levels, with Alert Level 5 as the most stringent and Alert Level 1 as the least restrictive. Metro Manila, or National Capital Region, was initially placed under Alert Level 4 and recently downgraded to Alert Level 3.
Under Alert Level 2, the protocols are:
Movement of persons shall be allowed except for reasonable restrictions based on age and comorbidities, as may be determined by the local government units (LGUs) and subject to the oversight, monitoring and evaluation of their respective RIATF. However, they shall be allowed to obtain essential goods and services, or go to work in permitted industries and offices.
Intrazonal and interzonal travel for persons not otherwise required to stay at home may be allowed subject to regulations of the LGU of destination.
Individual outdoor exercises shall be allowed for all ages regardless of comorbidities or vaccination status.
Except those located in areas under granular lockdowns, the following establishments, persons, or activities shall be allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at a maximum of 50% on-site or venue/seating capacity. Those with Safety Seal Certifications may operate at an additional 10 percentage points:
a. Indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits;
b. Indoor venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, events (MICE);
c. Indoor entertainment venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters, and cinemas;
d. Amusement parks or theme parks, funfairs/peryas, kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie rides;
e. Indoor recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls,
amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues;
f. Indoor limited face to face or in-person classes, examinations, and other education-related activities at all levels;
g. Casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments;
h. In-person religious gatherings;
i. Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19;
j. Social events such as but not limited to concerts and parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debut and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal or baby showers, and gatherings at residences with any person outside of one's immediate household;
k. Indoor dine-in services of food preparation establishments such as commissaries, restaurants, and eateries;
l. Indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools;
m. Personal care services which include beauty salons, beauty parlors, medical aesthetic clinics, cosmetic or derma clinics, make-up salons, nail spas, reflexology, aesthetics, wellness, and holistic centers, and other similar establishments; acupuncture and electrocautery establishments, and massage therapy including sports therapy establishments. It also includes establishments providing tanning services, body piercings, tattooing, and similar services.
All other establishments, persons, or activities in areas not covered by granular lockdowns may operate at 100% on-site or venue/seating capacity, provided they implement minimum public health standards. As such, the movement of persons residing in areas not covered by granular lockdowns working in allowed establishments/activities remains unrestricted. However, they are encouraged to operate with a minimal on-site capacity necessary to implement full operations, while applying work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements.
Agencies and instrumentalities of the government shall remain fully operational and shall adhere to at least 50% on-site capacity while applying work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements.
Aside from Cebu Province and its three highly urbanized cities, other areas placed under Alert Level 2 for the Oct. 20 to 31 period are Bohol, Batangas, Quezon Province, Lucena City, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental.
Areas under Alert Level 4 are Negros Oriental and Davao Occidental.
Those under Alert Level 3 are Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Siquijor, Davao City and Davao del Norte.
The IATF resolution also amended the metrics for placing areas under Alert Level 1 to include the full vaccination of at least 70% of the senior citizens, persons with comorbidities and eligible population. (Ventures Cebu)
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