MMDA studying possibility of expanding number coding scheme amid Alert Level 1 recommendation
MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Manila Development Authority said its unanimous recommendation Wednesday morning to relax restrictions to Alert Level 1 had nothing to do with the election campaigns happening around the capital region.
Alert Level 1 is seen to be the final step before entering the "new normal." The MMDA's suggestions are not binding in any way, but President Rodrigo Duterte, himself a former mayor, has historically accepted their recommendations, particularly the ones made unanimously.
Speaking to reporters at a press briefing Tuesday morning, newly-minted MMDA officer-in-charge Romando Artes said that the COVID-19 numbers in the past two weeks showed that the campaign sorties of candidates had "no significance."
"It’s not related to the elections. In fact, the basis of the Metro Manila mayors for this recommendation is the data we receive from the Department of Health," he said in Filipino. "The cases are going down anyway, and according to the matrix of the DOH, we're really qualified."
The MMDA was previously chaired by Benhur Abalos, who resigned earlier to join the campaign team of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late dictator, as his campaign strategist.
PNP says ready for de-escalation of quarantine protocols
Artesa added that the mayors "considered" the Department of Health's recommendation that 80% of all senior citizens and persons with comorbidities should be vaccinated first before entering Alert Level 1.
“The most lenient Alert Level 1 will open prospects for more economic activities by lifting some restrictions on venue capacities, but the minimum public health standard is still in effect,” Police Gen. Dionardo Carlos, PNP chief said in a statement issued later Wednesday.
Under Alert Level 1, there will be no age restriction for those who will move around in public places including interzonal travels, but subject to LGU rules. The National Inter-Agency Task Force against COVID-19 guidelines also stipulate that all establishments and government offices can fully operate. Religious gatherings and outdoor activities will be allowed.
“We have observed major improvements in our efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus as reflected in the decreased number of cases and hospital utilization rate with increased vaccination coverage. The situation is better now because of the discipline that the public is showing. We expect to observe the same attitude even if the health protocol will be relaxed,” Carlos said.
With more people outside, the PNP said that "the need for more intensified police visibility is imperative...thus, the public can expect that police personnel will continue to monitor the flow of people to remind them of the health protocol.
MMDA: Expansion of number coding scheme also on the table
At the press briefing Monday, Artesa also said that the MMDA was studying the idea of expanding the implementation of the number coding scheme as heavier traffic looms amid easing of travel restrictions in Metro Manila.
He said that if approved, the expanded number coding scheme will not be implemented immediately at the same time as the capital region's shift to Alert Level 1.
"We will check first the effect of de-escalating NCR to Alert Level 1 to the traffic situation. Right now, we see that we are still short on our public transportation," he said in Filipino.
"We are expecting that once Metro Manila is de-escalated to Alert Level 1, the traffic situation will be heavier...Right now, we are already seeing that the traffic situation on some roads is slow to moderate, but there are certain times where the situation is like this."
The MMDA is set to meet with ranking officials from the Department of Transportation to discuss the idea, Artesa said.
— Franco Luna
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