SAFETY SEAL. The ceremonial installation of a safety seal at the Farmers Market in Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City on Oct. 8, 2021. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday said local government units have been ordered to prepare for more relaxed restrictions under alert level 2 and encouraged the public to visit establishments that have been given safety seals for their safety. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler) MANILA - Local government units (LGU) have been told to prepare for the further easing of movement restrictions to alert level 2 especially in areas with low number of Covid-19 cases. In a virtual briefing on Friday, Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has discussed the possibility of further easing restrictions as the number of Covid-19 cases are on a downward trend in many parts of the country. She said LGUs wouldhave to be"very capable" in their prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate (PDITR) response and to get the public to continue avoiding the three Cs--closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings. "Dapat handa tayo.We are able to manage and control kung sakali na may puputok na mga kaso (We need to be ready; we are able to manage and control in case there's a resurgence in cases). Granular lockdowns, active case finding, intensive testing, contact tracing, and shortening the duration from detection to isolation," Vergeire said. "We were able to advise the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government)at ibang pang mga pamunuan na miyembro ngIATF-EIDna dapat handa na lahat(and other members agencies of the IATF-EID to prepare everything necessary) to shift into this alert level 2," Vergeire said. Each person, she said has the "obligation and responsibility" to continue following the minimum health standards such as wearing face masks and shields, avoiding crowded places, regular hand washing and physical distancing. She also encouraged the public to visit establishments that have been given a "safety seal." "Kapag pumunta kayo sa isang establishment na may safety seal, you can be assured na safe 'yang establishment na 'yan (If you visit an establishment with a safety seal, you can be assured that establishment is safe)," Vergeire said. She also called on the public to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible. Earlier, the Philippine College of Physicians said Metro Manila is ready to shift to alert level 2 as Covid-19 cases and hospital admissions continue to decline. Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion III and business owners have also called on the government to place NCR under alert level 2 to further ease restrictions and help the recovery of businesses and the country's economy. (PNA) }