Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday reiterated that minimum public health standards (MPHS) will need to be observed even if Metro Manila goes under Alert Level 1 in the future.
The possibility of the region entering the country's lowest alert level has been discussed recently amid declining COVID-19 cases.
Duque in a separate interview even said that Metro Manila may ease to Alert Level 1 by March if there is high compliance in the safety seal certification program.
However, easing to Alert Level 1 does not mean that MPHS should be neglected, said Duque on Wednesday.
"Hindi naman natin pwedeng pabayaan naman 'yung MPHS dahil 'yun pa rin 'yung kailangang gawin ng mga mamamayan para sigurado tayong hindi magkaroon ng mga hawaan at sumipa muli ang mga kaso," he told DZRH in an interview.
(We should not neglect compliance to the MPHS because that is what we really need to ensure that there will be no more transmission and for cases to increase again.)
Downgrading to Alert Level 1 allows intrazonal and interzonal travel regardless of age and comorbidities, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
It also said that all establishments, persons, or activities are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site as long as MPHS are observed.
This also means the further reopening of face-to-face classes and the expansion to full capacity of public transportation, according to Duque.
He warned, however, that going 100% capacity on public transportation does not mean exceeding it, similar to the situation of the public transportation before the pandemic.
"Kapag sinabi mong 100% capacity, hindi pwedeng ang ibig sabihin ay 200% ang isasagad mo. Hindi tama 'yun," he said.
(When you say 100% capacity, that does not mean that you could go up to 200%. That’s not right.)
Talks of going under Alert Level 1 arrive at the height of the campaign period for the May elections, which sees massive gatherings among candidates and their supporters in different venues.
Duque said it is up to the Commission on Elections on what their guidelines are for the safe-conducts of campaign up to the election day, but he said that mask-wearing and other engineering controls must be in place during said events.
Engineering controls include designating proper and observed entry and exit points on venues, having thermal scanners for the people, and ensuring that there are alcohol and sanitizers for disinfection purposes.
The health secretary also discouraged the presence of the elderly in such events, adding that they are also at risk for heatstroke.
"Wag din sanang papayagan ang matatanda na sasali pa dahil hindi lang COVID … baka ma-heatstroke pa," he said.
(I hope the elderly are not allowed to join them because they are not only at risk for COVID … they may also get heatstroke.)
Metro Manila is currently under Alert Level 2 until the end of February. Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, however, is pushing for Alert Level 1 by March, before scrapping all alert levels before the end of the current administration.
