Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 28) — Further easing of Metro Manila’s COVID-19 restrictions to Alert Level 2 will provide the economy with a multibillion-peso boost per week, according to Economic Planning Secretary Karl Chua.
If the national government decides to put the National Capital Region under Alert Level 2, about ₱3.6 billion will be injected into the country’s gross domestic product per week, Chua clarified in a message to reporters following the virtual Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) forum on Thursday.
Some 16,000 jobs, meanwhile, will be recovered, the NEDA official said.
He earlier said during the forum that the de-escalation of NCR to Alert Level 2 will translate to ₱10.3-billion gain in the Philippine economy per week. But Chua, in a separate statement, said the estimate was a scenario under Alert Level 1. About 43,000 jobs are also expected to be restored if the government imposes the lowest alert level in the region.
The capital region is under Alert Level 3 until end-October.
Amid the improving COVID-19 numbers, government officials have hinted at the possibility of downgrading it to Alert Level 2 by November.
On Wednesday, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the local executives in the National Capital Region are ready to shift to Alert Level 2 next month.
RELATED: Metro Manila ready for lower COVID-19 level alert by November
Under Alert Level 2, more sectors will be allowed to operate and increase their capacity.
READ: EXPLAINER: What you need to know about the COVID-19 alert level system in NCR
Dine-in businesses, personal care services, entertainment and recreational venues, mass gatherings, funeral services, meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibits, and indoor tourist attractions are permitted to operate at a maximum of 50% capacity.
Those with Safety Seal Certifications will be allowed to operate an additional 10% beyond the prescribed capacity.
Other businesses and activities that are not mentioned above are allowed to operate at full capacity, except for those areas under granular lockdown
“[These] are very clear indicators why opening the economy will have a direct impact on GDP and the people,” Chua said.
