BACOLOD CITY - Mayor Evelio Leonardia announced on Sunday, Feb. 27, that Bacolod City will be downgraded to Alert Level 1 on March 1-15.
The city and the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, and Guimaras were the four areas in Western Visayas that were placed under Alert Level 1 by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Leonardia said it is a validation that the city government is on the right track in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Being placed in the lowest alert category is a validation that, indeed, our policies and practices were hitting the targets," the mayor added.
Leonardia attributed such development to the people for their support and cooperation in observing the health protocols.
Last week, the Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas has classified Bacolod City under Alert Level 1, following the decline in COVID-19 cases over the past weeks. But, only the IATF can place an area under a specific alert level.
“We are proving to all that when we all unite for a common purpose, we can achieve much more,” he said.
Meanwhile, the province of Negros Occidental remains under Alert Level 2.