The Philippines is likely to stay under Alert Level 1 till June 30, 2022, when President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday that the Philippines may remain under Alert Level 1 until President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends and they are studying the possibility of de-escalation to Alert Level 0.
He said the government is focused on helping areas under Alert Level 2 to be downgraded to Alert Level 1 by ramping up vaccination coverage.
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“‘Yan muna ang ating pagtuunan ng pansin kaysa ‘yung pag-usapan na ‘yang Alert Level 0. Maayos naman tayo sa Alert Level 1. Tingin ko baka ito ay hanggang sa katapusan na. Alert Level 1 muna tayo malamang hanggang sa katapusan ng termino ng ating Pangulong Duterte,” he added.
“(We’re focus on that first rather than talk about Alert Level 0. We’re fine with Alert Level 1. I think maybe we will implement it until the end of President Duterte’s term.)”
Duque said possibility of Alert Level 0 would still be discussed by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases along with other government advisers.
Duque underscored this will depend on the possible mutations of the COVID-19 or the hospital utilization rate.
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Under Alert Level 1, intrazonal and interzonal travel is allowed without regard to age and comorbidities.
National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said that 1,400,889 vaccine doses have been administered during the fourth wave of the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” national vaccination drive.
As per the NTF report, a total of 64,838,213 Filipinos are now fully vaccinated, while 11,291,687 individuals have received booster shots or additional doses and the government is eyeing to fully vaccinate 90 million by the time Duterte steps down from office.
