Three Cordillera provinces were placed under Alert Level 4 by the inter-agency task force for emerging infectious diseases from January 21-31, 2022 following the surge on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases triggered by the more infectious and more transmissible Omicron variant that caused their hospital critical utilization rates to be critical.
Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain province will be under Alert Level 4, while Apayao, Benguet and Baguio City will be under Alert Level 3 and Abra will remain under Alert Level 2 up to the end of the month based on the latest classification issued by the inter-agency task force.
The latest Alert Level classification of the Cordillera provinces prompted the different local chief executives to issue the prevailing community quarantine restrictions in their respective areas of jurisdiction during the duration of the new quarantine classifications of their local governments.
Mountain Province Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. stated that travel is allowed for everyone, except for those below 18 years old, above 65 years old with co-morbidities and other health risks and pregnant women.
However, he clarified that minors and those belonging to the vulnerable sectors of the population are still allowed access to essential goods and services or for work in permitted industries and offices.
Further, he said that fully vaccinated individuals are allowed for point to point travel, staycations, and outdoor exercises, provided that, the minimum public health standards and precautions such as the wearing of face masks and the observance of physical distancing are strictly observed.
On the other hand, Lacwasan stipulated that the establishments and activities that are not allowed in the province will include face to face classes for basic education, higher education or for technical-vocational education and training, except those approved by the inter-agency task force or the office of the President; indoor and outdoor contact sports; cinemas and movie houses; fun fares, playgrounds, playrooms and kiddie rides; karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls and theaters; casinos, horse racing, cockfighting, lottery, betting shops, and other gaming establishments, except those authorized by the task force and the office of the President; and gatherings in residences within individuals not belonging to the same household.
The governor stipulated that establishments that are allowed to operate will be allowed up to a maximum of 10 percent of their venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and 30 percent outdoor venue capacity, provided that they have been issued a Safety Seal certification.
Among the establishments that are allowed to operate under Alert Level 4 are venues for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions; permitted venues for social events; visitors or tourist attractions; amusement parks and theme parks and recreational venues.
Moreover, the establishments and activities allowed to operate at a maximum of 10 percent of indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and 30 percent outdoor venue capacity include in person religious gatherings like worship or service, except processions and other similar mobile religious gatherings; licensure or entrance or qualifying examinations subject to health and safety guidelines approved by the task force and dine in services.
In Tabuk City, Kalinga, mayor Darwin C. Estranero issued an advisory where persons younger than 18 years old, older than 65 with co-morbidities, pregnant women must stay home.
He stated that exercises will be allowed for persons not under stay-at-home orders.
mayor Estranero disclosed that the establishments that are prohibited to operate under Alert Level 4 are indoor tourist attractions, meeting venues, indoor face to face exams, indoor gym and court, contact sports, swimming pools, outdoor and indoor amusement parks, internet cafes, arcades, billiard halls, cinemas, casinos, cockfighting, concerts, parties, wedding receptions, motorcades, derma clinics, makeup salons, massage therapy, tattooing and staycations.
For dining establishments and restaurants, al fresco dining will be allowed up to a maximum of 30 percent of venue capacity while indoor dining will be up to 10 percent of maximum venue capacity and that the same will only for those fully vaccinated individuals aside from the fact that all workers of the said establishments shall also be fully vaccinated.
The mayor said that barbershops, beauty salons, nail and hair spas will be allowed to render outdoor service at a maximum of 30 percent venue capacity and 10 percent for indoor setting only for fully vaccinated persons with the condition that all workers shall also be fully vaccinated.
Religious gatherings shall also be allowed a maximum of 30 percent for outdoor setting and 10 percent for indoor setting provided that religious ministers and members are fully vaccinated.
He emphasized that in the exigency of the services, government offices will be operational up to 20 percent on-site capacity while arrangements shall be made for alternate work schedule pursuant to established civil service rules and regulations.
At present there are 8, 914 Covid -19 active cases in the region with Baguio having the highest active cases of 4, 272.
