The Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry has identified several places that will still remain closed as parts of the country will soon be under a more relaxed quaratine measure now termed as the General Community Quarantine or GCQ.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, during the ‘Online Talakayan’ between the DTI, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Local Government Academy (LGA) stated that the following locations and businesses shall remain closed:
– Sports facilities, gyms, fitness studios
– Sports-related gatherings: Training, games, tournaments, and championships
– Theaters and cinemas
– Concerts, festivals, carnivals, and shows
– Pubs and bars
– Business related gatherings: Trade shows, conferences, conventions, workshops, and retreats
– Gambling and betting activities
– Travel agencies, tour operators, reservation services, and related services
– Libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural activities
– Mass gatherings, including politically-related mass gatherings like election rallies, polling centers, parades, speeches, and addresses.
– Activities of member organizations
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Lopez also outlined establishments which will be allowed to operate, provided that these locations adhere to the government’s health and safety measures:
– Hotels: Only for providing accommodations for BPO workers, exporters, banks, etc.
– Manufacturing businesses: Firms to implement minimum health standards like physical distancing in the work area, wearing face masks, and providing alcohol and sanitizers.
– Malls: Open except for non-leisure stores
– Personal care: Barbershops, salons, spas, provided they maintain strict health standards
– Motor vehicles and Motorcycle businesses: Wholesale, retail trade, and repair
– Forestry and logging
– Publishing activities
– Entertainment products: Motion Picture, Video and Television program productions, sound recording and music publishing activities
– Advertising
– Market Research
The government also eyes to resume construction activities, particularly for its ‘Build, Build, Build’ program.
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In the same virtual briefing, acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority Director General Karl Kendrick Chua said the Inter-Agency Task Force will give special analysis on the reopening of the construction sector and malls, as per a report from the Philippine News Agency.
One of the key points that Chua cited is the risk of virus transmission once activities in the construction sector resume as most of the workers are migrants.
But he said it is an opportune time to roll out these projects to speed up the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program.
