By Atty. Egay Uy

CAGAYAN de Oro City was placed under the pilot Alert Level System starting on November 1 until November 14 this year. The ALS was first piloted in the National Capital Region and was since then expanded to other areas in the country which now include Cagayan de Oro and the Province of Misamis Oriental.

The ALS is totally different from the old Community Quarantine System such that the DILG, in the orientation conducted last week for new areas, said that once we get into the ALS, we should forget about the CQS. The differences between the two are quite clear indeed.

There are five levels under the ALS which are not equivalent to any kind of community quarantine level under the CQS. Under the ALS, granular lockdowns involving even a few households may be imposed by the LGU concerned unlike in the CQS where entire LGUs were locked down. Once affected by a granular lockdown, workers living there are no longer allowed to go enter or exit the locked-down area.

The ALS levels are determined by the DOH bi-weekly based on established parameters, no longer by the IATF itself. These parameters are the Average Daily Attack Rate (ADAR), the Two-week Growth Rate (2WGR), and the Hospital Bed Utilization Rate (HBUR). While most of these parameters were also used in the CQS, other parameters under the latter are no longer taken into account.

The ALS also significant factors in the vaccination level of a community such that an LGU that passes at Low Risk the above-mentioned parameters may be placed under Alert Level 1 if it has achieved at least 70% immunization of its A2, A3, and its target population. In AL1, all activities and undertakings are practically allowed. What a wonderful world it will be then!

The guidelines in AL2 may then be summarized in this manner:

  1. Except for casinos, horse racing, cockpits and cockfighting, and gaming establishments, practically every business may operate but limited to only 50% capacity for INDOOR venues.
  2. Indoor venues will be for FULLY VACCINATED customers or clients only but customers who are younger than 18 years old may also enter even if not yet vaccinated.
  3. Employees of permitted business establishments must also be fully vaccinated.

For OUTDOOR venues, capacity is increased to 70% regardless of the vaccination status of customers. But still, employees must be fully vaccinated.

Another significant color in ALS is that LGUs are given a wide latitude of discretion. For example, while intrazonal travel or movement is allowed, the LGU can impose restrictions based on age and comorbidities.

Let's all work hand in hand to at least maintain the alert level that the city is in, and encourage people to submit themselves to vaccination so that Cagayan de Oro will be placed under Alert Level 1, the level which we may call the New Normal.