
The Private Hospitals Association Philippines (PHAPI) on Thursday sought to delay Metro Manila’s de-escalation to Alert Level 1 by two weeks.
In a “Laging Handa” briefing, PHAPI president Jose de Grano said placing Metro Manila under a lower alert level could lead to complacency among its residents.
“Ang ano lang po diyan ay iyong implementasyon po ng ating minimum health protocols. Iyon po ang kailangan talaga natin gawin at baka kasi kapag naging Alert Level 1 ay balewalain na nila itong pagwi-wear ng mask, iyong social distancing,” he said.
“Delikado po iyan lalo po sa mga sorties ng ating mga nagka-kampanya,” he added.
Metro Manila’s council of mayors has recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) the capital region’s shift to Alert Level 1, the least restrictive alert level.
The IATF is expected to decide on the alert levels for the first two weeks of March on Thursday.
Should the IATF decide to place Metro Manila under Alert Level 1, de Grano said private hospitals would comply.
“Sa amin po ang rekomendasyon namin kung maaari maghintay tayo ng another two weeks ano po? Pero kung iyon po ang decision ng ating mga IATF ay siguro susunod naman po kami,” he said.
Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 until Feb. 28. John Ezekiel J. Hirro