OCTA Research Fellow Guido David welcomed the lifting of public health emergency as the positivity rate of COVID - 19 in Metro Manila declined to 3.3 percent.

"Actually even without the pronouncement to remove the public health emergency, most of our people already return to normal so in a way it is a welcome development so that we can focus on bringing our livelihood back normal," he said in a radio interview on Monday.

David explained that COVID-19 virus still exists and continues to mutate but he noted that it is not as life threatening as before because there are vaccines and medicines that were already developed against the virus.

"It doesn't mean that it's not there anymore, the virus is still there, it is just not as threatening as before, there is still an uptick but the hospitalization does not increase too much," he said.

David said as of July 22, the lowest positivity rate was recorded in Cavite with 3.2 percent followed by National Capital Region (NCR) that went down to 3.3 percent, then Batangas and La Union with 3.5 percent, Quezon with 3.7 percent and Bulacan with 3.8 percent.

The highest positivity rate of 21.4 percent was recorded in Ilocos Norte followed by Camarines Sur with 19.4 percent.

Following the removal of the public health emergency, the Department of Transportation announced on Sunday the lifting of COVID-19 protocols, including the physical distancing and use of face masks in all public transport in the country. Robina Asido/DMS