NCR, 38 other areas in Alert Level 1 status starting Mar. 1

The National Capital Region (NCR), along with 38 other areas in the Philippines will be placed in Alert Level 1 status starting tomorrow (March 1).

Based on Resolution 163-A approved last February 27, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) said that the aforementioned alert level will be in effect until March 15.

Aside from Metro Manila, the areas that will be placed under a more relaxed restriction level are the following:

• Luzon
  • Abra, Apayao, Baguio City and Kalinga in the Cordillera Administrative Region;
  • Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan in Region I;
  • Batanes, Cagayan, City of Santiago, Isabela and Quirino in Region II;
  • Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Olongapo City, Pampanga and Tarlac in Region III;
  • Cavite and Laguna in Region IV-A;
  • Marinduque, Puerto Princesa City and Romblon in Region IV-B; and
  • Naga City and Catanduanes in Region V.
• Visayas
  • Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz and Guimaras in Region VI;
  • Siquijor in Region VII; and
  • Biliran in Region VIII.
• Mindanao
  • Zamboanga City in Region IX;
  • Cagayan de Oro City and Camiguin in Region X; and
  • Davao City in Region XI.

Meanwhile, the agency will also place the following areas under Alert Level 2:

• Cordillera Administrative Region: Benguet, Ifugao and Mountain Province;
• Region II: Nueva Vizcaya;
• Region III: Nueva Ecija and Zambales;
• Region IV-A: Batangas, Lucena City, Quezon Province and Rizal;
• Region IV-B: Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro and Palawan;
• Region V: Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Sorsogon;
• Region VI: Antique, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province and Negros Occidental;
• Region VII: Bohol, Cebu Province, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Negros Oriental;
• Region VIII: Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, Tacloban City and Western Samar;
• Region IX: City of Isabela, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay;
• Region X: Bukidnon, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental;
• Region XI: Davao De Oro, Davao Del Sur, Davao Del Norte, Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental;
• Region XII: General Santos City, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat;
• Region XIII (CARAGA): Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Butuan City and Dinagat Islands;
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): Basilan, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Cotabato City and Lanao Del Sur.

Based on the guidelines set by the agency, areas under Alert Level 1 will allow public transportation to operate at full seating capacity.

Further, the use of acrylic or plastic dividers in public transportation shall not be required and the use of the Safe, Swift and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) travel management system shall likewise not be required for interzonal travel to areas under Alert Level 1.

Earlier, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Officer Officer-in-Charge and General Manager Romando Artes said that the agency is studying the possibility of implementing a modified version of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP or more commonly known as number coding scheme) during rush hour in the morning.

Currently, the vehicle restriction program is implemented from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and only covers private vehicles.

Photos from Ruben D. Manahan IV, Araneta Center, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Facebook page

Also read:

NCR mayors want Alert Level 2 status kept until Feb. 28

NCR back to Alert Level 3 restrictions, transport sector to implement basic health protocols

For now, Metro Manila mayors see no need for Level 4 alert status