The Department of Health (DOH) as Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) announces that for the period August 16 to 31, 2022, two provinces (Occidental Mindoro and Camarines Sur) and four additional LGUs all over the country have been de-escalated to Alert Level 1 status. The DOH noted, based on IATF-EID metrics, that these areas were able to de-escalate by maintaining their case classification and total beds utilization rates at low risk, and reaching or nearing the vaccination thresholds for target population and target A2 (senior citizens) priority group.

The National Capital Region shall remain under Alert Level 1 for the same period. Also placed under Alert Level 1 during the same period are the following areas: For LUZON, Cordillera Administrative Region: Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Baguio City; Region I: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Dagupan City; Region II: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and City of Santiago; Region III: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Angeles City, and Olongapo City; Region IV-A: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Lucena City; Region IV-B: Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and Puerto Princesa City; and Region V: Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Naga City, and Sorsogon.  For the VISAYAS, Region VI: Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo Province, Bacolod City, and Iloilo City; Region VII: Siquijor, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City; and Region VIII: Biliran, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, and Tacloban City.  For MINDANAO, Region IX: Zamboanga City; Region X: Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, and Iligan City; Region XI: Davao City and Davao Oriental; Region XII: South Cotabato and General Santos City; CARAGA: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Butuan City; and BARMM: Cotabato City.

The following component cities and municipalities shall likewise be newly placed under Alert Level 1 for the same period: For the VISAYAS, Region VII: Poro, Cebu; and Region VIII: Talalora, Western Samar. For MINDANAO, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: Binidayan and Pualas, Lanao Del Sur.

Cities and municipalities previously de-escalated shall remain under Alert Level 1.

Meanwhile, the following provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) shall remain under Alert Level 2, without prejudice to their respective component cities and municipalities which may be under a different alert level classification: For LUZON: Cordillera Administrative Region: Benguet, Ifugao; Region IV-A: Quezon Province; Region IV-B: Palawan; and Region V: Camarines Norte and Masbate. For the VISAYAS, Region VI: Antique and Negros Occidental; Region VII: Bohol, Cebu, and Negros Oriental; and Region VIII: Leyte, Northern Samar and Western Samar. For MINDANAO, Region IX: City of Isabela, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay; Region X: Lanao del Norte; Region XI: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro and Davao Occidental; Region XII: North Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat; CARAGA: Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte; and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

“We can see that the stronger our participation in the PinasLakas booster and vaccination campaign, the sooner we can open our economy more safely,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, DOH Officer-in-Charge.