The National Capital Region (NCR) does not meet the parameters for the area to be placed under Alert Level 4 despite the spike in COVID-19 cases, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday, Jan. 10.

Nograles, also the acting presidential spokesperson, said that the government is monitoring the two-week growth rate (TWGR), average daily attack rate (ADAR), and total bed utilization to assess if the alert level should be intensified.

“We are actively monitoring all of the metrics and parameters na dapat nating tingnan and even over and above that. As of the moment, hindi pa po siya tumatama doon sa tatlong metrics natin  enough for it to declare Alert Level 4,” he said on ANC’s Headstart.

The cabinet secretary also stressed that while Metro Manila’s TWGR and ADAR are high, the total bed utilization rate is not yet hitting the metrics for Alert Level 4 yet.

“As of the moment, ang Metro Manila nasa moderate pa tayo sa (Metro Manila is moderate when it comes to) total bed utilization. So, it’s not enough for us to declare Alert Level 4,” said Nograles.

Nograles gave the public an assurance that the government will immediately heightened the alert level if the parameters are reached.

“But immediately, ‘pag tumama po ‘yan, we will not hesitate to declare Alert Level 4 in any area, or escalate any area to Alert Level 3,” he said.

As of writing, the NCR is under Alert Level 3 until January 15.

33,169 additional COVID-19 cases have been recorded today, Jan. 10, the country's highest single-day tally so far and also marks the first time that the nation breached the 30,000-mark in daily infections.