Approving the Nationwide Implementation of the Alert Level System for COVID-19 Response

November 11, 2021

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 151

APPROVING THE NATIONWIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ALERT LEVEL SYSTEM FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE

WHEREAS, Article II, Section 15 of the Constitution declared it a policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people;

WHEREAS, the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely impacted the lives of individuals and families worldwide, especially the most vulnerable sectors of society;

WHEREAS, Section 6 of Republic Act (RA) No. 11332, otherwise known as the "Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act," authorizes the Department of Health and its local counterparts to enforce rapid containment, quarantine and isolation, disease prevention and control measures, and other response activities for events of public health concern;

WHEREAS, Section 7 of RA No. 11332 authorizes the President to declare a State of Public Health Emergency in case of epidemics of national/international concern that threaten national security, and to mobilize governmental and nongovernmental agencies to respond to the threat;

WHEREAS, the President, through Proclamation No. 922 (s. 2020), declared a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines due to COVID-19, and through Proclamation No. 929 (s. 2020), placed the entire Philippines under a State of Calamity for a period of six (6) months or until lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant;

WHEREAS, Proclamation No. 1021 (s. 2020)extended the declared State of Calamity for a period of one (1) year, or until 12 September 2021, and thereafter, Proclamation No. 1218 (s. 2021), further extended the State of Calamity until 12 September 2022;

WHEREAS, Executive Order (EO) No. 112 (s. 2020) imposed Enhanced Community Quarantine and General Community Quarantine in certain areas of the Philippines and adopted the Omnibus Guidelines for the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines (Omnibus Guidelines);

WHEREAS, EO No. 112 authorized the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to impose, lift or extend a community quarantine in Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), and Independent Component Cities (ICCs);

WHEREAS, the Omnibus Guidelines has since been amended by IATF so as to provide for the following community quarantine classifications: Enhanced Community Quarantine, Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine, General Community Quarantine, and Modified General Community Quarantine;

WHEREAS, IATF Resolution No. 136-A (s. 2021) approved the shift in the policy of classifying Provinces, HUCs and ICCs for purposes of community quarantine and adopted the Alert Level System for identified pilot areas of implementation, with the National Capital Region (NCR) being identified as the initial pilot area of implementation;

WHEREAS, on 13 September 2021, the IATF issued its Guidelines on the Implementation of Alert Levels System for COVID-19 Response in Pilot Areas, and adopted amendments thereto in succeeding resolutions;

WHEREAS, the IATF has expanded the pilot implementation of the Alert Level System to select Provinces, HUCs and ICCs across the Philippines;

WHEREAS, the IATF, through Resolution No. 146-F (s. 2021) dated 28 October 2021, recommended to the Office of the President the adoption of the Alert Level System for all areas of the Philippines, through a phased nationwide rollout;

WHEREAS, while the current community quarantine classification system under the Omnibus Guidelines has proven crucial in preventing the further spread of COVID-19 in the country, the cumulative impact of the prohibitions and regulations under that system on social, economic and other non-COVID-19 health objectives cannot be overlooked;

WHEREAS, the nationwide shift to the Alert Level System would allow for the reinvigoration of the economy through the opening of more sectors, while protecting the people's health through the continuous observance of public health protocols and interventions and the heightened implementation of lockdowns in smaller areas, also known as granular lockdowns;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Adoption of the Alert Level System. — The Alert Level System (ALS) is hereby adopted for nationwide rollout, to be undertaken in four (4) phases. The pilot areas in which the ALS is already being implemented as of the date of effectivity of this Order shall be deemed as the first phase of the nationwide implementation, while other regions shall follow in the succeeding phases, to wit:

 

Phase 1:	NCR, Region III, IV-A, VI, VII, X and XI
Phase 2:	Region I, VIII and XII
Phase 3:	Region II, V, IX
Phase 4:	Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Region IV-B, Region XIII (CARAGA), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)

 

The shift to Phase 2 may begin at any time after the effectivity of this Order, as may be determined by the IATF, but not later than the end of November 2021. The succeeding phases shall then commence every week thereafter until full nationwide implementation.

SECTION 2. Guidelines on the Implementation of the ALS. — The "Guidelines on the Implementation of Alert Levels System for COVID-19 Response in Pilot Areas," with the amendments thereto approved by the IATF as of the effectivity of this Order, is hereby adopted as the guidelines that shall be implemented and enforced in all areas to be placed under the ALS in its nationwide rollout. The said Guidelines shall be renamed accordingly to reflect its new status.

The IATF is hereby authorized to amend or modify such Guidelines as may be necessary to achieve the objectives of the ALS, without need of further approval of the President.

SECTION 3. Transitory Provision. — Pending the full nationwide implementation of the ALS, the Omnibus Guidelines for the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, approved through EO No. 112 (s. 2020), shall remain in effect in all areas not yet placed under the ALS.

SECTION 4. Assistance and Cooperation of Agencies and LGUs. — All departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the government, including state colleges and universities, government-owned or -controlled corporations, government financial institutions, and LGUs are directed to render full assistance to and cooperation with the IATF and mobilize the necessary resources for the implementation of the ALS pursuant to this Order.

SECTION 5. Separability. — If any part of this Order is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Repeal. — EO No. 112 (s. 2020) shall be deemed repealed once all areas of the country are placed under the ALS. All other orders, rules, regulations and issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. — This Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 11th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-One.

 

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 117, No. 46, p. 10884 on November 15, 2021.