MANILA — Metro Manila will suspend a ban on unvaccinated passengers from public transport when the region shifts to a lower pandemic alert level this week, the interior department said on Monday.

The policy is only applicable when the capital region is under Alert 3 or higher, noted Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.

"Ngayon na nasa Alert Level 2 tayo magmula bukas ay hindi na po ito puwedeng ipatupad," he said in a televised public briefing.

(Now that we are under Alert Level 2 from tomorrow, that can no longer be implemented.)

Home to some 13 million people, Metro Manila will be under Alert 2 from Feb. 1 to 15, along with 7 other provinces, Malacañang said.

Under this alert level, minors are allowed to go outdoors, subject to local government guidelines, said Malaya.

Police will continue manning checkpoints in other areas under Alert 3, as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Ang payo po ng DILG sa ating mga kababayan, dalhin pa rin po natin iyong mga vaccination card natin dahil baka hihingin po ito sa mga checkpoints,” said the official.

(The advice of the DILG to our compatriots is to continue bringing our vaccination cards because it might be required at checkpoints.)

Since late December, the Philippines has seen a quick rise in new COVID-19 cases, a wave of infections driven by the highly contagious omicron variant.

• PH COVID-19 figures may return to pre-surge level by late Feb or March: analyst

At least 58.7 million of the country's 109 million people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Authorities continue to remind the public to follow minimum health protocols and get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19.

Video courtesy of PTV