By ADRIAN STEWART CO and GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO City – The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) alert levels in Western Visayas will be downgraded. Starting tomorrow Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, and Guimaras will be shifting to Alert Level 1, which the Department of Health (DOH) describes as the “new normal.”
The lowering of levels, approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), is due to the decreasing number of COVID-19 infections, according to acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles.
“The latest IATF-EID-approved alert levels will be effective from March 1 to 15,” Nograles said on Sunday afternoon.
Under Alert Level 1, intrazonal and interzonal travel will be allowed regardless of age and comorbidities.
All establishments, persons or activities are permitted to operate, work, or be done at full onsite capacity, provided that health standards are observed.
In-person or “face-to-face” classes for basic education will be subject to the approval of the Office of the President.
Antique, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province and Negros Occidental, meanwhile, will be shifting to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 after being under Alert Level 3 until today.
Under Alert Level 2, intrazonal and interzonal movement will be allowed, subject to reasonable restrictions that the local government units may impose.
Select establishments or activities are permitted to operate at a maximum of 50 percent indoor capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and 70 percent outdoor capacity.
ILOILO CITY TO SCRAP S-PASS
This southern city is scrapping the Safe, Swift and Smart Passage (S-Pass) requirement for inbound travelers staring March.
S-Pass is an online travel management system developed by the Department of Science and Technology. It was introduced as a requirement for domestic travel when varying levels of travel restrictions was imposed in local government units due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas, he will release an executive order for this.
“Wala na S-Pass, vaccination card na lang for the fully and partially vaccinated, or negative RT-PCR (reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction) test for those not vaccinated for travel to Iloilo city from any place,” said Treñas.
Meanwhile, starting today, according to the city mayor, face-to-face flag ceremony resumes in the city government.
He stressed the importance of gradually moving to the new normal.
“The economy needs to be revived as many businesses have closed and many jobs have been lost. We cannot forever be in this state,” said Treñas.
He added: “I am glad that the IATF listened to our appeal to place the city under Alert Level 2. We will slowly revive our economy so that all jobs lost during the pandemic will be restored.”/PN
