Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion welcomed the government’s decision to downgrade Metro Manila to Alert Level 3 starting Oct. 16 until Oct. 31, calling it a victory for the private sector that has been tirelessly pushing for the reopening of the economy.

Despite this win, Concepcion said the private sector’s campaign is not yet done as they are aiming for Alert Level 1 or a 70-percent capacity for indoor businesses in the last two months of the year.

“While we are very happy with the government’s decision, businesses need more than 30 percent capacity to survive. So, we are pushing for at least 70 percent capacity in the last two months of the year, where consumer spending is expected to ramp up as we get close to Christmas,” said Concepcion.

On Tuesday, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said the reproduction number, or the number of people that one COVID-19 case can infect, in the NCR further dropped to 0.61 from 0.74 from the previous week.

“Our positivity rate is now 11%. By end of October, we should be at or close to 5%. NCR should be low risk by then. Other countries are doing well now. We need to fast track our economic recovery,” Dr. Guido stressed.

Citing the analysis of OCTA Research, Concepcion said there is already a downward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila, which could pave way for Alert Level 2 or even Alert Level.

“Higher capacity is crucial for businesses as this would allow them to recover lost ground and income opportunity. Through this, they can gain momentum that can help carry them until 2022,” Concepcion added.

Under Alert Level 3, restaurants and personal care services which now include spas and derma clinics, are allowed to operate at 30 percent of indoor capacity for fully vaccinated individuals, and 50 percent outdoor venue capacity provided that all employees are fully vaccinated.

Cinemas which have been closed since the start of the lockdowns in March 2020 have been given the same privilege under Alert Level 3. The industry is also preparing for the annual Metro Manila Film Festival this coming Christmas.

“We thank the government for listening to the persistent call of the private sector to reopen the economy in the last quarter of the year. This is a major shot in the arm for the businesses as they try to recover from the effects of the pandemic,” said Concepcion.

“But in order for our entrepreneurs to earn income, they need at least 70% capacity. I think Level 1 is very possible with the low number of new cases being reported in NCR plus our increased vaccination percentage,” he added.

Concepcion has been at the forefront of the private sector’s push for the lowering of alert levels in Metro Manila, persistently calling on the government to provide them with needed momentum for recovery by allowing more operational capacity for indoor businesses.

Various businesses – including restaurants, gyms, spas, wellness centers, movie houses and salons – have joined Concepcion in calling on the government to provide them with the needed flexibility so they can slowly get back on their feet, especially in the last quarter of the year.

Concepcion recently met with various businesses where he presented the various efforts that the private sector has been undertaking to encourage the government to allow additional capacity for dine-in restaurants and personal care services for the fully vaccinated and to reopen other industries.

In the meeting, Eric Teng of Resto PH aired his sentiments. “Let us open, let us serve, let us do business, give us freedom to defend our industry, give us freedom to defend our investments, give us the freedom to defend our jobs,” adding “let start to learn to live with COVID, let’s not hide and fear about this anymore, we are vaccinated.”

The Go Negosyo founder and some OCTA Research fellows recently sat down with the Department of Health (DOH) and tackled the scientific way of determining alert levels in Metro Manila.