LIMITED face-to-face classes in basic education are not allowed under Alert Level 3, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

IATF-MEID on Wednesday approved the recommendation to place Metro Manila under the less restrictive quarantine status from October 16 to 31.

Under the updated guidelines on Alert Level 3, a school will only be allowed to reopen if it is included in the pilot implementation of limited physical classes.

Metro Manila mayors earlier asked the Department of Education to include several schools in the National Capital Region in the pilot study.

However, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergerie maintained that schools included in the pilot run must be in areas with low or minimal Covid19 risk.

So far, 59 public schools have passed the risk assessment of the Department of Health for the conduct of in-person classes that will start on November 15.

These schools are in the provinces of Masbate, Antique, Cebu, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Saranggani Province and North Cotabato.

The Department of Education plans to hold limited in-person classes in 95 public elementary schools, five senior high schools, and 20 private schools.