IATF places 21 more areas under Alert Level 1

MANILA – Around 21 places in the country will be under the most lenient Alert Level 1 from April 9 to 15, Malacañang said Friday.

This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) released the updated list of areas placed under Alert Level 1, acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said.

In a press statement, Andanar said Alert Level 1 will be implemented in Mountain Province, Southern Leyte, and Misamis Oriental.

The component cities and municipalities that will also be under Alert Level 1 are as follows:

*Buguias in Benguet

*Atimonan and Tiaong in Quezon

*Santa Magdalena in Sorsogon

*City of Masbate in Masbate

*Batad and Zarraga in Iloilo

*City of Talisay in Cebu

*Javier (Bugho) and La Paz in Leyte

*Maslog in Easter Samar

*Paranas (Wright) in Samar (Western Samar)

*Linamon in Lanao del Norte

*Calamba in Misamis Occidental

*Padada in Davao del Sur

*Sibagat in Agusan del Sur

*Tubajon and Cagdianao in Dinagat Islands

“This Alert Level 1 status in the abovementioned areas shall take effect tomorrow, April 9, 2022 until April 15, 2022,” Andanar said.

Earlier, the IATF-EID issued Resolution 165, placing Metro Manila, as well as 56 other cities and provinces and over 100 component cities and municipalities, under Alert Level 1 for the first half of April.

“All other provisions as to the Alert Level of provinces, highly urbanized cities, independent component cities, component cities and municipalities under IATF Resolution No.165-E not affected by the abovementioned Alert Level classification shall remain in effect until April 15, 2022,” Andanar said.

The updated roster of areas put under Alert Level 1 includes 78 provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities, as well as 178 component cities and municipalities, according to the IATF-EID Secretariat.

The rest of the country stays under Alert Level 2.

Under Alert Level 1, movement of persons, regardless of age and comorbidities, 1 is allowed, but with restrictions on crowded and closed spaces and close contact (3Cs) settings.

Full operations of private establishments and government agencies are also allowed, subject to minimum public health standards.

The use of well-fitted face masks is still mandatory unless people are eating and drinking; participating in team and individual sports in venues where ventilation standards can be maintained, and practicing outdoor sports or exercise activities where physical distance can still be observed.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said the proposed shift to “Alert Level 0” is not yet doable since there are still cases of coronavirus disease 2019 in the country.