(File photo) MANILA - Metro Manila will be under a more relaxed Alert Level 2 quarantine classification starting Nov. 5 until Nov. 21, Malacanang announced on Thursday night. "The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Thursday, November 4, 2021, approved the de-escalation of the National Capital Region to Alert Level 2. This shall take effect beginning tomorrow, November 5, 2021 until November 21, 2021," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement. The IATF also approved the recommendation of the sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics to base the alert level assignments on data that is nearest to the implementation date. "Starting December 1, 2021, alert level assignments shall be determined at every 15th and 30th of the month. Escalations, on the other hand, may be done at any time in the middle of the implementation period as warranted while de-escalations can only be done at the end of the 2-week assessment period," he added. Roque said the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF), together with the Regional Task Forces and Regional IATFs, were directed to provide weekly feedback on the progress and implementation on all areas identified for Alert Level System roll-out to the IATF. The IATF, he said, also amended the guidelines on the implementation of Alert Levels System for Covid-19 Response in pilot areas to clarify the allowed movement of persons under varying alert levels. Meanwhile, Roque said the NTF also approved the fourth phase of the National Action Plan Against Covid-19 (NAP Phase IV) using indices to measure the success of the implementation. For Infection Management, the indices are the number of severe and critical cases per month, time gap from detection to isolation, and tests per case; Vaccine Roll-out will rely on the total vaccines administered per capita, new vaccine doses administered per capita, and fully vaccinated individuals; and For Socio-Economic Recovery, the indices are the Purchasing Managers' Index by IHS Markit, google mobility to retail and recreation, and number of commercial airline passengers. Roque earlier said there is a "big possibility" that Metro Manila will be eased to Alert Level 2 before the forthcoming holidays. He, however, reminded the public not to be complacent and continue observing minimum public health standards as holiday parties and other gatherings could lead to another surge in cases. (PNA) }