83 areas in Metro Manila remain under granular lockdown

MANILA – Some 83 areas in Metro Manila remain under granular lockdown despite the region’s shift to the more relaxed Alert Level 3 over the weekend.

Based on the latest data released on Monday, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said these include 29 areas under the Quezon City Police District; Manila Police District, 25; Eastern Police District, 17; Southern Police District, 10 and Northern Police District, two.

These areas are located in 53 villages across the region.

The NCRPO has deployed a total of 238 police officers to secure these areas.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar has ordered all unit commanders in Metro Manila to coordinate with local government units (LGUs) to determine whether there is a need to deploy more police officers in public places and leisure areas.

“We still need to ensure the safety of our people because complacency might cause another surge in Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases in NCR,” Eleazar said.

This came as the PNP recorded a total of 19,014 violators of minimum public health standards and curfew hours during the first weekend of the implementation of Alert Level 3 in Metro Manila.

Among popular destinations which saw an influx of visitors include churches, malls, the Manila Bay dolomite beach, and Rizal Park.

Under Alert Level 3, several establishments can operate at 30 percent indoor venue capacity only for fully vaccinated individuals and 50 percent outdoor venue capacity, provided that all employees are fully vaccinated.

Religious gatherings, dine-in, and personal care services are allowed at 30 percent indoor capacity for fully vaccinated persons only and 50 percent outdoor capacity for all persons, regardless of vaccination status.

The government has also allowed cinemas to reopen under this alert level.