Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said there is "a high chance" that the alert level in Metro Manila will be downgraded from its present level of four on Friday.

"I would say, it’s a high chance of a lowering of alert level," Roque said during a regular press briefing on Monday.

"The data supports a lowering of the alert level, especially the ICU utilization rate and the overall health care utilization rate of Metro Manila," he added.

New COVID-19 cases have gone down by 29 percent, the lowest since August 6-12.

He added that the reproduction level of NCR remains at 0.61 ''well within the recommended level of below 1''

The positivity rate is at 15.9 percent, said Roque. ''It is lower than what it was but we need to reach five percent, '' he added.

Roque also expressed support to the call of Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Secretary Joey Concepcion to or ease the restrictions in NCR to Alert Level 3 or even Alert Level 2.

"Without second guessing the IATF, I agree with Secretary Concepcion, the data do indicate that we are ready for a lower alert level," he said.

"We need this so that more of us will be able to work, like what I always said there are no lazy Filipinos. We should just give them a chance to work," he added. Robina Asido/DMS