The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 will discuss on Thursday a proposal to reopen cinemas in Metro Manila and possible new protocols for travelers.

The capital region's movie houses, arcades, and cinemas have been shuttered since March after coronavirus cases spiked.

"Ang alam ko po, nasa agenda ‘yan mamaya ng IATF," task force and Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque said of the reopening of cinemas.

"Pero ang pagbubukas po na pag-uusapan ay Level 3, hindi po Level 4. Pero pag-uusapan pa po ‘yan mamaya," he said in a press briefing.

(I know that is on the agenda later of the IATF. But the opening that will be tackled is for Level 3, not Level 4. But that will be discussed later.)

Metro Manila is under the 4th highest alert in a 5-step scale until Oct 15. The alert system being tested in the region is accompanied by granular lockdowns, which government hopes will better curb COVID-19 outbreaks and spur business activity.

Asked if the government would remove the COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated travelers heading to other provinces, Roque said, "Wala pa pong desisyon ang IATF d'yan."

(The IATF has no decision on that yet.)

"Pero isa po sa pag-uusapan mamayang hapon ay 'yong pagbabago ng ating arrival protocols from abroad," he said. "Iyong mga darating po sa abroad, meron pong panukalang pag-uusapan mamayang hapon."

(But one thing that will be discussed this afternoon is the change of our arrival protocols from abroad. For those arriving from abroad, there is a proposal that will be discussed this afternoon.)

The Philippines on Wednesday reported 9,868 fresh COVID-19 cases, the second straight day that the number of new infections was below 10,000. The lower case count was due to lower laboratory output last Monday.

Of the 2,622,917 cumulative total infections, 112,807 or 4.3 percent are active.

• PH posts 9,868 new cases, DOH data collection issue persists