Areas adjacent to NCR now closely being monitored for COVID- DILG
By Chito Chavez
Neighboring areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) are now being monitored as Metro Manila was placed under alert level 3 from Jan. 3 to 15 after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) uptick during the Holiday season.
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that the national government is “observing very closely” the situation in Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan areas that were part of the previous “NCR Plus Bubble’’.
“We’re looking at the neighboring provinces of the National Capital Region because they really form an integral part of the Metro Manila area. We are looking, observing very closely the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan,’’ Malaya said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.
These regions, according to him, may possibly be placed under restrictions if the need arises.
“The Department of Health is getting all the necessary data so we will get a clear picture of the situation in those areas,’’ he added.
After Manila had re-imposed curfew regulations for minors and Baguio City had closed its doors for tourists, Malaya stressed that the local government units (LGUs) always had the authority to impose their own restrictions as long as they are complementary with guidelines set by Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).
Malaya explained this after being asked if he would recommend that the other LGUs follow similar paths and impose restrictions amidst the COVID-19 exponential surge.
Initially, the national government placed the country under a less strict alert level 2 from Jan. 1 to 15 but alert level 3 was imposed in Metro Manila until Jan. 15 amid the COVID-19 surge.
On Jan. 2, Dr. Maricar Limpin, president of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) traced the rapid COVID-19 surge to the sudden downgrading of the alert level in the country. (Chito A. Chavez)