More people spend time outdoors in Makati City on February 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA - Metro Manila and 38 other areas will be placed under Alert Level 1, the least restrictive in a 5-tier COVID quarantine system, beginning March 1, triggering guidelines for the "new normal," Malacañang said on Sunday.
The COVID-19 task force also approved placing several provinces and cities in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions 1, 2, 3, IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, VII, IX, and XI under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15, acting Palace Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles added.
Here is the complete list of said provinces and cities:
Cordillera Administrative Region
- Abra
- Apayao
- Baguio City
- Kalinga
Region I
- Dagupan City
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
Region II
- Batanes
- Cagayan
- City of Santiago
- Isabela
- Quirino
Region III
- Angeles City
- Aurora
- Bataan
- Bulacan
- Olongapo City
- Pampanga
- Tarlac
Region IV-A
Region IV-B
- Marinduque
- Puerto Princesa City
- Romblon
Region V
Region VI
- Aklan
- Bacolod City
- Capiz
- Guimaras
Region VII
Region VIII
Region IX
Region X
- Cagayan de Oro City
- Camiguin
Region XI
Meanwhile, the following areas were placed under Alert Level 2 from March 1 to 15:
Cordillera Administrative Region
- Benguet
- Ifugao
- Mountain Province
Region II
Region III
Region IV-A
- Batangas
- Lucena City
- Quezon Province
- Rizal
Region IV-B
- Occidental Mindoro
- Oriental Mindoro
- Palawan
Region V
- Albay
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Masbate
- Sorsogon
Region VI
- Antique
- Iloilo City
- Iloilo Province
- Negros Occidental
Region VII
- Bohol
- Cebu Province
- Cebu City
- Lapu-Lapu City
- Mandaue City
- Negros Oriental
Region VIII
- Eastern Samar
- Leyte
- Northern Samar
- Ormoc City
- Southern Leyte
- Tacloban City
- Western Samar
Region IX
- City of Isabela
- Zamboanga del Sur
- Zamboanga del Norte
- Zamboanga Sibugay
Region X
- Bukidnon
- Iligan City
- Lanao del Norte
- Misamis Occidental
- Misamis Oriental
Region XI
- Davao De Oro
- Davao Del Sur
- Davao Del Norte
- Davao Oriental
- Davao Occidental
Region XII
- General Santos City
- North Cotabato
- Sarangani
- South Cotabato
- Sultan Kudarat
Region XIII (CARAGA)
- Surigao del Norte
- Surigao del Sur
- Agusan del Norte
- Agusan del Sur
- Butuan City
- Dinagat Islands
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Basilan
- Maguindanao
- Sulu
- Tawi-Tawi
- Cotabato City
- Lanao Del Sur
Mayors of the capital region, home to some 13 million people, earlier urged the COVID-19 task force to put it under Alert Level 1.
This was backed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who said the region is already "ripe" for the loosest COVID-19 quarantine restriction.
Restrictions on public health and transportation will be lifted once the country shifts to a new normal system, in line with the protocol under Alert Level 1, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire had said.
This means that public transport and establishments would be allowed to serve at capacity.
Under the quarantine level, the public may still be required to wear anti-virus masks and observe physical distancing, Nograles earlier said.
Government experts earlier revised the metrics of placing an area under Alert Level 1, which includes low to minimal risk case classification, the full vaccination of 70 percent of its target population and 80 percent of the eligible members of the elderly sector.
The country logged less than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past 8 days, data showed.
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