All local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) are prepared to enforce the policies set under Alert Level 1, an official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Monday.

In a ‘Laging Handa’ briefing, MMDA officer-in-charge General Manager Romando Artes said these new protocols, part of the least restrictive alert status, also affect activities in relation to political campaigns for the 2022 elections.

“Noon pong dalawang linggo na hiniling ng mga mayors ng Metro Manila na i-retain sa Alert Level 2 ang Kamaynilaan, ito po ay ginamit nila para paghandaan iyong de-escalation to Alert Level 1 (During the two weeks after our mayors asked to extend Alert Level 2 in Metro Manila, they used that time to prepare for the de-escalation to Alert Level 1),” Artes said.

Despite several large political rallies or motorcades resulting in violations such as failure to observe physical distancing in NCR, he said the consistent wearing of face masks have so far been effective and no spikes of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases have been observed.

To further avoid a spread in Covid-19 infections, the MMDA reminded all parties, groups, or individuals who apply for rally permits to follow proper health and safety protocols.

With Alert Level 1 set to be implemented in NCR and 38 other areas beginning Tuesday, Artes said the limited implementation of unified vehicular volume reduction program (UVVRP), or number coding scheme, will remain enforced Monday to Friday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“Pero pinag-aaralan na po natin iyong posibilidad na i-expand po iyan sa 7 to 9 a.m. base sa report ng aming mga traffic enforcers at sa atin pong datos ng Traffic Engineering Center (But we’re studying the possibility of expanding it to 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. based on reports from our traffic enforcers and data from the Traffic Engineering Center),” Artes said.

He noted that expanding the number coding scheme would not be implemented at the same time as Alert Level 1 to avoid a possible impact on the expanded capacity of public transportation.

“Titingnan po muna natin kung ano ang epekto nito, kung mayroong sufficient na transportation para po iyong mga iisa iyong sasakyan ay hindi na po makasama o makihalo pa sa pampublikong transportasyon (We’ll let us first monitor its effect, whether there’s sufficient transportation for those with vehicles and they won’t have to join those in public transport),” Artes said.

The most relaxed alert level in Metro Manila will be in effect until March 15.

Public cooperation needed

The Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, reminded the public that for Alert Level 1 to be sustained in certain areas would depend on their cooperation through strict observance of health protocols.

“Ayaw na po nating bumalik sa ating mga lockdowns, sa atin pong mga (We no longer want to go back to our lockdowns, to our) restrictions before, so, self-regulation is the key,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a Palace briefing.

Vergeire explained the de-escalation of the National Capital Region and 38 areas were based on metrics and one of them is vaccination rate since transmission of coronavirus could be controlled through inoculation.

“Aside from the case trends and health care utilization, sinama pa ho natin ang vaccination, hindi lamang po iyong pagbabakuna sa total population ng isang lugar (we also included vaccination, not only the vaccination of the total population in one area),” she said.

Earlier, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said 80 percent of the senior citizens and 70 percent of the target population must be fully inoculated against Covid-19 for an area to qualify for de-escalation to Alert Level 1.

Vergeire reminded the public to practice self-regulation when attending mass gatherings.

“Kung sa tingin natin hindi natin mapapatupad nang husto ang ating pag-mask o iyong physical distance na kailangan, tayo po ay pumunta lang doon sa mga talagang kailangan nating puntahan (If we think, wearing of face masks and observance of physical distance would not be implemented, just choose only the places you really need to visit),” she said.

She also urged the local government units and candidates for the upcoming elections to cooperate with the national government for the implementation of public health protocols to sustain the Alert Level 1 in concerned areas. (PNA)