THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are preparing for the pilot implementation of the new granular lockdown system in the National Capital Region (NCR) on September 16, 2021.
PNP Chief Guillermo Eleazar said he has ordered police commanders in NCR or Metro Manila to coordinate with their respective local government units before September 16 to ensure that everyone is aware of the new guidelines.
DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said on Saturday, September 11, that LGUs in Metro Manila will be assigned alert levels from September 16 to 30.
Under alert level 1, people will be allowed to move except for reasonable restrictions such as in closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact settings.
Private establishments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the government in the areas under alert level 1 will be allowed full capacity provided that minimum public health standards are observed.
In alert level 2, movement of persons is allowed except for reasonable restrictions based on age and comorbidities determined by local government units.
Private establishments are allowed to operate under minimal on-site capacity, or work-from-home or flexible work arrangements while agencies and instrumentalities of the government are allowed with at least 50 percent on-site capacity.
Alert level 3 is almost the same as alert level 2, except that agencies and instrumentalities of the government are allowed only at 30 percent on-site capacity.
Under alert level 4, the highest risk classification, persons below 18 years old and over 65 years old, people with comorbidities and immunodeficiencies and pregnant women are required to stay home.
Private establishments in the area are under minimal on-site capacity, or work-from-home or flexible work arrangements while agencies and instrumentalities of the government are at least 20 percent on-site capacity.
Dine-in, personal services, and mass gatherings are not allowed.
The granular lockdown system is aimed at preventing the further spread of the Covid-19 while allowing the economy to recover.
It will replace other quarantine classification except the enhanced community quarantine which is the strictest level of lockdown being implemented.
Metro Manila saw more than 9,000 new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on September 11, accounting for about a third of the 26,303 new cases nationwide on that day, the highest daily tally in the country. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)