Filipinos in the country will hold their Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations this year under the relatively lenient protocols of alert level 2.
This, after Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles announced on Wednesday, Dec. 15 that the entire country would retain its current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) risk classification under the Alert Level System (ALS).
"The entire country will continue under alert level 2 beginning tomorrow, Dec. 16 until Dec. 31, 2021," Nograles said during a virtual press conference.
Nograles said this decision was reached by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) during a meeting Tuesday, Dec. 14. Nograles also serves as IATF spokesperson.
All regions in the Philippines have been placed under alert level 2 since Dec. 3. Alert level 2 is the second most lenient classification under the five-tier ALS.
In this regard, the Palace official said the IATF has repealed the guidelines on the implementation of community quarantines in the Philippines, as amended. The task force also adopted the guidelines on the nationwide implementation of the ALS for COVID-19 response as amended.
"This would not have been possible without your cooperation, your help, and your sacrifices. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat (Thank you very much to all of you). Let's keep this up, 'wag tayong bumitaw (let's stay engaged)," Nograles said.
The Philippines is enjoying year-long lows in terms of the number of new daily COVID-19 cases.