Gov't maintains Alert Level 3 in Metro Manila, other areas

The government has placed Metro Manila and around 50 other areas under Alert Level 3 from January 16 to 31 amid the rising COVID-19 cases, the Palace said Friday.

Aside from the NCR, areas that will be under Alert Level 3 starting January 16 are:

• Baguio City
• Ifugao
• Mountain Province
• Dagupan City
• Ilocos Sur
• Santiago City in Region 2
• Cagayan
• Angeles City
• Aurora
• Bataan
• Bulacan,
• Olongapo City
• Pampanga
• Zambales
• Rizal
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Lucena City
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• Naga City
• Sorsogon
• Iloilo City
• Iloilo
• Negros Occidental
• Guimaras
• Lapu-Lapu City
• Bohol
• Cebu province
• Negros Oriental
• Ormoc City
• Biliran
• Eastern Samar
• Leyte
• Northern Samar
• Southern Leyte
• Western Samar
• City of Isabela in Region 9
• Zamboanga City
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Bukidnon
• Iligan City
• Misamis Occidental
• Misamis Oriental
• Davao del Sur
• Davao del Norte
• General Santos City
• South Cotabato
• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• Lanao del Sur

The government has earlier placed the following areas under Alert Level 3 from January 14 to 31:

• Benguet
• Kalinga
• Abra
• La Union
• Ilocos Norte
• Pangasinan
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Quezon province
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Bacolod City
• Aklan
• Capiz
• Antique
• Cebu City
• Mandaue City
• Tacloban City
• Cagayan de Oro City
• Davao City
• Butuan City
• Agusan del Sur
• Cotabato City

Under Alert Level 3, several establishments will be allowed to operate at 30% indoor venue capacity but exclusively for fully vaccinated people and 50% outdoor venue capacity as long as employees are fully vaccinated.

In-person classes, contact sports, funfairs/perya, and casinos are among the activities and establishments that are prohibited under Alert Level 3.

The following areas, meanwhile, were placed under eased Alert Level 2:

• Apayao
• Batanes
• Palawan
• Puerto Princesa City
• Masbate
• Siquijor
• Zamboanga Del Norte
• Zamboanga Sibugay
• Camiguin
• Lanao Del Norte
• Davao De Oro
• Davao Occidental
• Davao Oriental
• North Cotabato
• Sarangani
• Sultan Kudarat
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Basilan
• Maguindanao
• Sulu and
• Tawi-Tawi

Under Alert Level 2 — the second lowest in the new alert level system — certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated) and 70% capacity outdoors. 

Data from independent monitoring group shows that Metro Manila's average daily attack rate (ADAR) for COVID-19 increased to 117.24% on January 13 from the previous 111.80%. The group said Metro Manila is under "severe outbreak."

As of January 13, the number of areas in the country that are under granular lockdown is 206, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Of the 206 areas, 103 are in Metro Manila.

On Thursday, the Philippines registered another record-high 34,021 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the Philippines' case load to 3,092,409. —LBG/KBK, GMA News