A TOP Palace official said that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, approved the recommendation to downgrade the National Capital Region (NCR) Alert Level status from Alert Level 4 to a lower Alert Level 3 starting October 16, 2021 until October 31, 2021.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the IATF also approved placing the provinces of Apayao, Kalinga, Batanes, Bulacan, Bataan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, and Naga City for Luzon; and Zamboanga City and Zamboanga del Norte for Mindanao under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) status.
Meanwhile, placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions are Abra, Baguio City, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, City of Santiago, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Quezon, and Batangas for Luzon; Bacolod City, Capiz, Lapu-Lapu City, Negros Oriental, and Bohol for the Visayas; and Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Butuan City, and Surigao del Sur for Mindanao.
Also approved under GCQ status are Ilocos Norte, Dagupan City, Ifugao, Benguet, Tarlac, Lucena City, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa, Marinduque, Albay, and Camarines Norte for Luzon; Aklan, Antique, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Cebu City, Cebu Province, Mandaue City, Siquijor, and Tacloban City for the Visayas; and Zamboanga Sibugay, Misamis Occidental, Iligan City, Davao City, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Cotabato City, and Lanao del Sur for Mindanao.
All other areas shall be placed under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), Roque said.
This latest risk-level classification shall take effect beginning October 16, 2021 until October 31, 2021, the Palace spokesperson added.
Finally, the IATF approved and adopted the revisions of the Guidelines on the Implementation of Alert Levels System for COVID-19 Response in the Pilot Areas.