Most provinces in the Philippines will remain under Alert Level 1 until May 15 or after the general elections, Malacañang said Friday even as a new Omicron sub-variant that spreads more quickly was detected locally.
Metro Manila along with several other provinces will stay under the lowest alert level from May 1 to 15 which means that all businesses can operate at full capacity.
READ: With New Omicron Sub-Variant in PH, Filipinos Urged to Get Booster Shots
The announcement came even after the Department of Health confirmed that a sub-variant of omicron that's driving infections higher in the U.S. was detected for the first time in the Philippines.
Initial findings and data suggest that the omicron BA.2.12 spreads faster while there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe disease, authorities said.
Here are the areas under alert level 1 from May 1 to 15 according to Malacañang:
- Abra
- Apayao
- Kalinga
- Tublay, Benguet
- Mountain Province
- Baguio City
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
- Dagupan City
- Batanes
- Cagayan
- Isabela
- Quirino
- City of Santiago
- Aurora
- Bataan
- Bulacan
- Nueva Ecija
- Pampanga
- Tarlac
- Zambales
- Angeles City
- Olongapo City
- Batangas
- Cavite
- Laguna
- Riza
- Lucena City
- Candelaria, Quezon
- Dolores, Quezon
- San Antonio, Quezon
- Marinduque
- Cagayancillo, Palawan
- Oriental Mindoro
- Romblon
- Puerto Princesa City
- Albay
- Catanduanes
- Naga City
- Caramoan, Pili
- Tigaon, Camarines Sur
- Capalonga, Camarines Norte
- Aklan
- Capiz
- Guimaras
- Iloilo Province
- Candoni, Negros Occidental
- Tobias Fornier (Dao), Antique
- Amlan (Ayuquitan)
- Negros Oriental
- Duero, Bohol
- Matalom, Leyte
- Bacolod City
- Iloilo City
- Siquijor
- Cebu City
- Lapu-Lapu City
- Mandaue City
- Biliran
- Eastern Samar
- Southern Leyte
- Ormoc City
- Tacloban City
- Zamboanga City
- Camiguin
- Bukidnon
- Misamis Oriental
- Cagayan de Oro City
- Iligan City
- Davao City
- Surigao del Sur
- Butuan City
- Jose Dalman (Ponot), Zamboanga del Norte
- Labason, Zamboanga del Norte
- Molave, Zamboanga del Sur
- Ramon Magsaysay (Liargo) Zamboanga del Sur
- Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay
- Tudela, Misamis Occidental
- Baroy, Lanao del Norte
- Lala, Lanao del Norte
- Tubod, Lanao del Norte
- Caraga, Davao Oriental
- City of Koronadal, South Cotabato;
- Arakan, North Cotabato
- Lebak, Sultan Kudarat
- Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte
- Santa Josefa, Agusan del Sur
- Libjo (Albor), Dinagat Islands
- General Luna, Surigao del Norte
- South Upi, Maguindanao
- Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi
All other provinces and highly urbanized cities not listed above will be under Alert Level 2 from May 1 to 15, Malacañang said.