Beginning January 3, in-person classes in Metro Manila will be suspended.

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila mayors ordered the suspension of face-to-face or in-person lessons beginning Jan. 3 after the region was placed on a tougher alert level, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). According to the MMDA, the directive was issued during a meeting between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the mayors of Metro Manila. As per MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos, the suspension of in-person classes came after Metro Manila was placed on tighter Alert Level 3 status beginning Monday, January 3, and lasting until January 15. Meanwhile, the DepEd verified the suspension of the face-to-face classes in accordance with the Alert Level 3 protocols in a separate statement. "The DepEd confirms that the Pilot Face to Face classes for basic education have been postponed till the alert level returns to Level 2," the DepEd said in an advisory. "It should be noted that the Pilot Face to Face sessions finished in December of last year, and that the only ones affected will be those involved in the expansion phase," it continued. The enhanced phase of the in-person classes was meant to include all grade levels from kindergarten to grade twelve. The country is currently facing an exponential surge in COVID-19 instances, as well as an increase in cases with the Omicron variation of concern. The Department of Health previously reported 4,600 new cases nationally, the most since Oct. 24, bringing the total number of infections to 2,851,931.