COVID-19 task force updates matrix for alert levels

MANILA — Metro Manila and dozens of other areas nationwide will remain under the lowest level of the 5-tier COVID-19 Alert system until July 15, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

It added the inter-agency task force on COVID-19 has revised the matrix used for determining an area's alert level.

Acting Palace spokesperson Martin Andanar said the 2-week growth rate will no longer be considered in determining case risk classification. It will be based on "average daily attack rates and its current thresholds," he said.

Total beds utilization rate and its current thresholds are retained as the main metric for health system capacity, Andanar said.

"Assignment of Alert Level shall be based on the revised cross tabulation of total beds utilization rate and average daily attack rate," he said in a statement.

Andanar said the following areas would be under Alert Level 1 from July 1 to 15, 2022, despite an uptick in the country's coronavirus infections.

• COVID-19 cases up by 53 percent: health dept

National Capital Region
- Caloocan City
- City of Malabon
- City of Navotas
- City of Valenzuela
- Pateros
- City of Pasig
- City of Marikina
- Taguig City
- Quezon City
- City of Manila
- City of Makati
- City of Mandaluyong
- City of San Juan
- City of Muntinlupa
- City of Parañaque
- City of Las Piñas
- Pasay City

Cordillera Administrative Region
- Abra
- Apayao
- Baguio City
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province

Ilocos Region
- Dagupan City
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan

Cagayan Valley
- Batanes
- Cagayan
- City of Santiago
- Isabela
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Quirino

Central Luzon
- Angeles City
- Aurora
- Bataan
- Bulacan
- Nueva Ecija
- Olongapo City
- Pampanga
- Tarlac
- Zambales

Calabarzon
- Batangas
- Cavite
- Laguna
- Lucena City
- Rizal

Mimaropa
- Marinduque
- Oriental Mindoro
- Puerto Princesa City
- Romblon

Bicol Region
- Albay
- Catanduanes
- Naga City
- Sorsogon

Western Visayas
- Aklan
- Bacolod City
- Capiz
- Guimaras
- Iloilo Province
- Iloilo City

Central Visayas
- Cebu City
- Lapu-Lapu City (Opon)
- Mandaue City
- Siquijor

Eastern Visayas
- Biliran
- Eastern Samar
- Ormoc City
- Southern Leyte
- Tacloban City

Zamboanga Peninsula
- Zamboanga City

Northern Mindanao
- Bukidnon
- Cagayan De Oro City
- Camiguin
- Iligan City
- Misamis Occidental
- Misamis Oriental

Davao Region
- Davao City
- Davao Oriental

Soccsksargen
- South Cotabato

Caraga
- Butuan City
- Surigao Del Sur
- Agusan Del Norte
- Agusan Del Sur

Bangsamoro
- Cotabato City

Under the lowest pandemic level, establishments and public transportation can operate at full capacity for fully vaccinated individuals, while schools can also implement in-person classes.

• Full capacity for indoor establishments now allowed under COVID Alert Level 1

The following component cities and municipalities are also under Alert 1, according to the Palace:

Cordillera Administrative Region
-Benguet - Buguias and Tublay
-Ifugao - Kiangan, Lagawe (Capital), and Lamut

Calabarzon
-Quezon - Atimonan, Candelaria, City of Tayabas, Dolores, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon, Sampaloc, San Antonio, Tiaong, and Unisan

Mimaropa
-Occidental Mindoro - Calintaan, Looc, Lubang, and Rizal
-Palawan - Cagayancillo and Culion

Bicol Region
-Camarines Norte - Basud, Capalonga, Daet (Capital), San Vicente, and Talisay
-Camarines Sur - Bombon, Cabusao, Camaligan, Caramoan, Goa, Iriga City, Pamplona, Pili (Capital), Presentacion (Parubcan), San Fernando, San Jose, and Tigaon
-Masbate - Balud, City of Masbate (Capital), and Mandaon

Western Visayas
-Antique - Anini-Y, San Jose (Capital), Sebaste, and Tobias Fornier (Dao)
-Negros Occidental - Cadiz City, Candoni, City of Talisay, City of Victorias, Enrique B., Magalona (Saravia), La Carlota City, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Sagay City, San Enrique, and Valladolid

Central Visayas
-Bohol - Batuan, Calape, Corella, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Maribojoc, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sikatuna, and Tagbilaran City (Capital)
-Cebu - Alcoy, Borbon, City of Talisay, Oslob, Pilar, Santander, and Tudela
-Negros Oriental - Amlan (Ayuquitan), Bacong, Dauin, Dumaguete City (Capital), Valencia (Luzurriaga), and Zamboanguita

Eastern Visayas
-Leyte - Albuera, City of Baybay, Dulag, Javier (Bugho), La Paz, Matag-Ob, Matalom, Palo, Tunga, and Villaba
-Northern Samar - Allen, Capul, Lapinig, Lavezares, San Antonio, San Jose, and Victoria
-Samar (Western Samar) - Marabut, Pagsanghan, Paranas (Wright), Tarangnan, and Zumarraga

Zamboanga Peninsula
-Zamboanga Del Norte - Dapitan City, Dipolog City (Capital), Jose Dalman (Ponot), Labason, Manukan, Piñan (New Piñan), Polanco, Rizal, and Salug
-Zamboanga Del Sur - Kumalarang, Labangan, Lapuyan, Mahayag, Molave, and Ramon Magsaysay (Liargo)
-Zamboanga Sibugay - Alicia, Buug, Diplahan, Ipil (Capital), Siay, and Tungawan

Northern Mindanao
-Lanao Del Norte - Bacolod, Baroy, Kauswagan, Lala, Linamon, and Tubod (Capital)

Davao Region
-Davao De Oro - Mawab, Montevista, Nabunturan (Capital), and New Bataan
-Davao Del Sur - Padada

Soccsksargen
-Cotabato (North Cotabato) - Antipas, Arakan, City of Kidapawan (Capital), and President Roxas
-Sultan Kudarat - City of Tacurong, Kalamansig, and Lebak

Caraga
-Dinagat Islands - Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo (Albor), Loreto, and Tubajon
-Surigao Del Norte - Claver, Dapa, General Luna, Mainit, and Tagana-An

BARMM
-Lanao Del Sur - Bumbaran, Ditsaan-Ramain, and Wao
-Maguindanao - South Upi and Upi

ALERT LEVEL 2

The following areas, meanwhile, were placed under Alert Level 2 from July 1 until July 15, said Andanar.

-Cordillera Administrative Region: Benguet and Ifugao
-Calabarzon: Quezon Province
-Mimaropa: Occidental Mindoro and Palawan
-Bicol Region: Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Masbate
-Western Visayas: Antique and Negros Occidental

-Central Visayas: Bohol, Cebu, and Negros Oriental
-Eastern Visayas: Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar (Western Samar)
-Zamboanga Peninsula: City of Isabela, Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay
-Northern Mindanao: Lanao Del Norte
-Davao Region: Davao De Oro, Davao Del Norte, Davao Del Sur, and Davao Occidental

-Soccsksargen: Cotabato (North Cotabato), General Santos City (Dadiangas), Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat
-Caraga: Dinagat Islands and Surigao Del Norte
-Bangsamoro: Basilan, Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi

Under Alert Level 2, casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops are banned, unless authorized by the COVID-19 task force or the Office of the President.

From June 20 to 26, the country recorded 4,634 new COVID-19 cases or an average of 662 per day, the DOH said in its latest bulletin.

The agency said this was 53 percent higher than the 3,051 infections logged from June 13 to 19.

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