Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary, Martin Andanar announcing the extension of Alert Level 1 in Manila region until the end of May | Photo Courtesy: tribune.net.ph
The entire National Capital Region (NCR) will still be subject to the least restrictive of the government's five-tiered alert level system from May 16 to 31, Malacañang announced on May 15.
Communications Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar stated that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) already authorized the alert level recommendations on May 14.
He quoted the IATF secretariat saying that several provinces, highly-urbanized cities, or municipalities also will be under the lowest alert level during the same period.
"Around the same timeframe, other areas in the Philippines will also remain under Alert Level 1" Andanar said.
Meanwhile, the country's economic managers have prompted the implementation of the top relaxed alert level globally to accelerate the return of more job opportunities; the country's unemployment rate remains among the highest in developing Asia.
In a forum, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said that placing the entire country on Alert Level 1 "as soon as possible" will counteract potential losses to the worldwide economic impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Reversing the entire country to Alert Level 1 will help to relieve societal burdens on the economy," Chua explained.
By the first week of April, 79 percent of the country was already under Alert Level 1 pandemic restrictions, with the reopening of more productive sectors.
"Lessening the Alert Level classification in other remaining areas will result in continuous increase of job prospects ," he added.
The unemployment rate had shrunk to 5.8 percent by March, the rock-bottom level since the COVID-19 crisis.
The secretary of NEDA stated this contemplated the profits from shifting around 70 percent of the national economic system to Alert Level 1.
"We reiterate our policy that the entire nation is situated on Alert Level 1 to safeguard the economic system from external disruptions," he said.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez had also talked about setting the whole country beneath alert degree 1, collectively with the expansion of in-person classes, which could cushion the effects of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
As per Lopez, the adjustment to the lowest alert level in Metro Manila and 38 other places in April was substantial assistance to the economy, but it'd be ideal if IATF would ease pandemic restrictions throughout the country together with the return of in-person classes.
"Generally speaking, switching to the foremost lenient Alert status could be a great aid. Still, if we can implement this across the board and reopen face-to-face classes, it'll stimulate the domestic economy and mitigate possible threats," he said.
Furthermore, most portions of the country will likely remain on Alert Level 1 until President Rodrigo Duterte's term ends.
On the other hand, health officials have warned against such a move, saying that the government should be cautious in loosening restrictions to prevent squandering recent successes as the country continues to battle the coronavirus outbreak.
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