Alert level system pilot implementation in NCR could be extended for another two weeks – NTF spokesperson

Over 100 areas under granular lockdown in Metro Manila

Eagle News Service

 

(Eagle News) – The pilot implementation of alert levels in Metro Manila could be extended for another two weeks as officials observe over a hundred areas placed under granular lockdown in the capital region, according to the spokesperson of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

NTF Spokesperson Ret. Major Gen. Restituto Padilla said that the extension of the pilot implementation of the alert level in the National Capital Region (NCR) would enable the NTF and local officials to further assess the situation when an alert level system is done instead of the community quarantine protocols which were implemented before in Metro Manila.

“Ok naman po (ang initial assessment) May mahigit na 100 na naka-granular lockdown sa buong pilot implementation area,” Padilla said in an interview with Balitalakayan on Monday, Sept. 20.
“So maayos anaman, natutugunan naman ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan sa mga lugar na yan,” he said.

Padilla said that the data coming from these areas under granular lockdown, and the information whether the alert level system is working so more people could continue to earn a living outside of these granular lockdown areas, would be helpful in determining its extension in the next couple of weeks.

The success of the pilot implementation would depend on the data coming in from Metro Manila that has been placed under Alert Level 4 since Sept. 16. The Alert Level 4 in NCR is supposed to be until Sept. 30 only.

Padilla said that the experts would be checking the data in the granular lockdown areas as well. They would study if the early detection of cases, and lockdown of areas with COVID-19 clusters have contributed to the decrease in cases.

If the experts feel that there is still a need to analyze more data and extend the alert level system in Metro Manila, then this could be done for another two weeks, he said.

Hopefully kung ano man po ang datos na lalabas na hinahanap ng ating mga experto ay magbigay daan sa success nito. Pero maaaring kung hindi nila makikita ang datos sa susunod na isang linggo pa hanggang katapusan, ay maaari nilang i-extend ang pilot implementation, plus additional two weeks or more sa pag-control sa pagkalat ng COVID,” Padilla said.

(Eagle News Service)