In this June 4, 2022 article for the Manila Bulletin, Analou de Vera reports on the Department of Health’s plan to recommend the retention of the pandemic alert level system to the next administration.

In a press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosari Vergeiree said that the alert level system “serves as a safeguard and a guide so that we will know what action to take based on the risk level of the areas in our country”.

According to Vergeire, some areas under Alert Level 2 cannot be de-escalated due to the low vaccination coverage of these areas.

Editor’s Note: Keeping the pandemic alert level systems in place despite the reality that the Philippines is no longer in an emergency is an admission that the government has no plans to transition the country out of an emergency [Read Joey Concepcion: Time to Lift COVID Public Health Emergency Status, WHO Says It Might End COVID Crisis But Global Data Shows There Is No Emergency, PGH Emergency Room at 200% Capacity, But It’s Not Due To COVID].

If this alert level system is normalized, it can easily be used for various other purposes which are not real emergencies.

What is the scientific basis for keeping areas under Alert Level 2 just because their vaccination rate is low? Since when has vaccination become a basis for hostaging citizens? [See If there is no COVID emergency, then why are we still vaccinating?].

Local Government Units (LGUs) should realize that they have control over the alert level designation of their areas. If they want to “free” their citizens from the oppressive policies of the national government, they can very easily do so.

If you are a citizen in an area under Alert Level 2 and the cases and deaths in your city/municipality/province are way below the national average, we encourage you to petition your LGUs and get them to end the COVID theatre [These old articles may provide some help in this regard, Open letter on lockdowns to Philippine governors, mayors, and legislators, Faulty COVID-19 tests: Why prisoners love their jailers and never-ending lockdowns. Also, read Face Masks Outdoors No Longer Required In Cebu Province].

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