Pampanga and Angeles City were placed under Alert Level 3 on Sunday, January 9 until January 15, 2022 by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) following the spike of COVID-19 cases after the holiday season.
As of January 08, Pampanga has 1,020 active COVID cases while Angeles City has 216.
Just like the terms ECQ, MECQ, GCQ, and MGCQ; the different alert levels introduced by the government brought confusion to those of us who are affected.
Here’s what we got from the IATF resolution to keep us all guided:
Activities prohibited under Alert Level 3:
- Face to face or in-person classes for basic education, except those previously approved by the IATF and/or the Office of the President;
- Contact sports, except those conducted under a bubble-type setup asprovided for under relevant guidelines adopted by the IATF, Games and Amusement Board, and Philippine Sports Commission, and approved by the LGU where such games shall be held;
- Funfairs/peryas and kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie rides;
- Venues with live voice or wind-instrument performers and audiences such as in karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls, and theaters;
- Casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments except as may be authorized by the IATF or the Office of the President; and
- Gatherings in residences with individuals not belonging to the same household.
Establishments allowed to operate at 30% capacity for indoor venues, and 50% capacity for outdoor venues provided that employees and clients are fully-vaccinated and there’s no objection from the local government:
- Venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE);
- Permitted venues for social events such as parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debut and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal or baby showers;
- Visitor or tourist attractions such as libraries, archives, museums, galleries, exhibits, parks, plazas, public gardens, scenic viewpoints or overlooks, and the like;
- Amusement parks or theme parks;
- Recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, skating rinks, archery halls, swimming pools, and similar venues:
- Cinemas and movie houses
- Limited face-to-face or in-person classes for higher education and for technical-vocational education and training;
- In-person religious gatherings; gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 and for the remains of the COVID-19 deceased;
- Licensure or entrance/qualifying examinations administered by their respective government agency, and specialty examinations authorized by the IATF subject to the health and safety guidelines as approved by the IATF;
- Dine-in services in food preparation establishments such as kiosks, commissaries, restaurants, and eateries, subject to DTI sector-specific protocols;
- Personal care establishments such as barbershops, hair spas, hair salons, and nail spas, and those offering aesthetic/cosmetic services or procedures, make-up services, salons, spas, reflexology, and other similar procedures including home service options, subject to the sector-specific protocols of the DTI;
- Fitness studios, gyms, and venues for non-contact exercise and sports, subject to DTI sector-specific protocols. Provided that patrons/clients and workers/employees wear face masks at all times and that no group activities are conducted; and
- Film, music, and television production, subject to the joint guidelines as may be issued by the DTI, DOLE, and the DOH.
On going out:
The movement of people, goods, and services between localities under the same alert level (intrazonal) is allowed. Movement between provinces and cities under different quarantine classifications may also be allowed but local government units may impose reasonable restrictions.
Minors, senior citizens, and those with comorbidity are allowed to obtain essential goods and services, or work in permitted industries under the law. Both the vaccinated and unvaccinated are also allowed to do individual outdoor exercises.
On the operation of government offices:
Government agencies will remain fully operational with at least 60% on-site workforce.
Just a reminder! Don’t forget to wear your mask properly, wash your hands frequently, avoid crowded areas, and do not mingle with others if you do not feel well.
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