Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 27) — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos is hoping the capital region will be placed under Alert Level 3 in October as COVID-19 numbers show signs of decline.
“I’m always data-driven,” he told a virtual briefing on Monday. “Talagang gumanda ang reproduction rate, growth rate, active cases. Hindi ako doctor, ayoko pangunahan ang mga eksperto, I’m just hoping.”
[Translation: I’m always data-driven. The reproduction rate, growth rate, active cases have really improved. I’m not a doctor, I don’t want to preempt the experts, I’m just hoping.]
Abalos said the pilot run of the COVID-19 alert level system works well for the National Capital Region as some sectors reopened for fully vaccinated individuals.
The region has been under Alert Level 4 from Sept. 16 until the end of the month, allowing business establishments like restaurants, barbershops, hair spas, nail spas, and beauty salons to operate for up to 30% of their outdoor capacity.
They can also operate indoors for up to 10% capacity, but exclusively for fully vaccinated customers.
READ: EXPLAINER: What you need to know about the COVID-19 alert level system in NCR
While Abalos’ optimism was driven by lower COVID figures, Dr. Alethea De Guzman, chief of the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health, told a Palace briefing on Monday that health authorities are “very cautiously interpreting the decline”.
“We need to assess the large decline in the laboratory output we saw in the past week,” De Guzman said, adding this may have affected the number of reported cases.
