Metro Manila, other areas to remain under Alert Level 1 until April 15

MANILA, Philippines, April 1 ------ More provinces and cities will be under the most lenient Alert Level 1 during the first half of April as the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines continues to improve. Several areas, including Metro Manila, will be under Alert Level 1 from April 1 to 15, acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar announced Thursday. Previously, only 48 areas were under the alert status, where business and social gathering venues may be filled up to their capacities as long as health protocols are observed. More than 100 areas, including component cities and municipalities, will be under the classification in the next two weeks.

Aside from Metro Manila, areas that will be under Alert Level 1 include Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, and Baguio City in Cordillera Administrative Region; Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Dagupan City in Ilocos region; Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, City of Santiago, and Quirino in Cagayan Valley; Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Angeles City, Tarlac, Zambales, and Olongapo City in Central Luzon; Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Lucena City in CALABARZON; Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Puerto Princesa City in MIMAROPA; Albay, Catanduanes, and Naga City in Bicol.

Also under the most relaxed classification are Aklan, Guimaras, Capiz, Bacolod City, and Iloilo City in Western Visayas; Siquijor, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City in Central Visayas; Biliran, Ormoc City, and Tacloban City in Eastern Visayas; Zamboanga City in Zamboanga Peninsula; Camiguin, Bukidnon, Iligan City, and Cagayan de Oro City in Northern Mindanao; Davao City in Davao region; and Surigao del Sur, Surigao City, and Butuan City in CARAGA.

The government's pandemic task force also placed several component cities and municipalities under Alert Level 1 namely Lagawe and Lamut in Ifugao; Besao, Bontoc, and Sagada in Mountain Province; Bambang, Bayombong, Dupax Del Norte, Quezon, Solano, and Villaverde in Nueva Vizcaya; Tayabas City, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon and Sampaloc in Quezon province; Lubang in Occidental Mindoro; Culion in Palawan; and San Vicente in Camarines Norte; Bombon, Cabusao, Camaligan, Iriga City, Presentacion (Parubcan), and San Fernando in Camarines Sur; Barcelona, Bulusan, Casiguran, City of Sorsogon, Gubat, Juban, Magallanes and Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon.

Other component cities and municipalities that will be under Alert Level 1 are San Jose and Sebaste in Antique; Anilao, Balasan, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Bingawan, Concepcion, Dueñas, Guimbal, Janiuay, Lemery, Mina, Pototan, San Dioniso and Santa Barbara in Iloilo; Enrique B. Magalona (Saravia), La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Sagay City and San Enrique in Negros Occidental; Batuan, Corella, Dimiao, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Sikatuna, and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental; Arteche, Balangkayan, Can-Avid, City of Borongan, Jipapad, Maydolong, Salcedo, San Policarpo, Sulat, and Taft in Eastern Samar; Albuera, City of Baybay, Dulag, Matag-Ob, Palo and Tunga in Leyte; Capul, Lapinig, Lavezares, San Antonio, San Jose, and Victoria in Northern Samar; Western Samar, Marabut, and Pagsanghan in Samar; Anahawan, Maasin City, Hinundayan, Libagon, Limasawa, Macrohon, Padre Burgos and Pintuyan in Southern Leyte; Dapitan City, Dipolog City, Piñan (New Piñan), Polanco, and Rizal in Zamboanga del Norte; Ipil (Capital), and Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay; Bacolod in Lanao del Norte; Clarin, Jimenez, Ozamiz City, and Panaon in Misamis Occidental; Alubijid, Binuangan, City of El Salvador, Initao, Laguindingan, Libertad, Lugait, Naawan, Sugbongcogon, and Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental; Montevista in Davao de Oro; Cateel, and Mati City in Davao Oriental; North Cotabato, Kidapawan City, and President Roxas in Cotabato; Polomolok, and Santo Niño in South Cotabato; Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat; Carmen, Jabonga, Magallanes and Nasipit in Agusan del Norte; Bunawan, Loreto, and Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur; Loreto in Dinagat Islands; and Tagana-an in Surigao del Norte.

More than 40 areas will be placed under Alert Level 2, where business establishments and activities are allowed up to 50 percent indoor capacity and 70 percent for outdoor venues. Areas that will be under Alert Level 2 are Benguet, Mountain Province, and Ifugao in Cordillera Administrative Region; Nueva Vizcaya in Cagayan Valley; Quezon in CALABARZON; Occidental Mindoro and Palawan in MIMAROPA; Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and Masbate in Bicol; Antique, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental in Western Visayas; Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental in Western Visayas; Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Western Samar in Eastern Visayas; Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Isabela City in Zamboanga Peninsula; Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao; Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental in Davao region; North Cotabato, South Cotabato, General Santos City, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat in SOCCSKSARGEN; Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands in Caraga; and Basilan, Cotabato City, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

"All other component cities and municipalities not mentioned shall be classified under Alert Level 2," Andanar said in a statement.

Source: philstar.com