By Genalyn Kabiling
The government is readying the partial reopening of some industries and services next month amid moves to ease quarantine measures in some areas.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has recommended the reopening of several sectors in quarantine areas during a meeting with President Duterte last Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
(JOEY DALUMPINES / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Roque said dental clinics, delivery services, equipment repair, laundry shops, and mining are among the sectors recommended for reopening in both areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and general community quarantine (GCQ).
Government offices, construction and Build, Build, Build program, barbershops, salons, clothing stores, manufacturing of beverages, cement, textile, as well as film and television production have been recommended to be allowed to operate but only in GCQ areas.
Among the services that will remain prohibited in GCQ and ECQ areas, on the other hand, are gyms, mass gatherings related to entertainment, business, sports, and politics, gambling, and travel related activities.
DTI recommendations
“Ito ay recommendation ng Department of Trade and Industry. Hindi pa pormal na naapubrahan pero tingin ko mayroon na consensus. Ito na talaga 'yan. Mabuti na bigyan ng advance notice (These are the recommendations of the Department of Trade and Industry. It was not formally approved but I think there is already a consensus. This is it. It is prudent to give the public advance notice),” Roque said during his virtual press conference Tuesday.
The government had earlier ordered the extension of the ECQ in Metro Manila and several high-risk areas until May 15 to contain the spread of the new coronavirus disease.
Areas with moderate and low risk of coronavirus will be placed under GCQ starting May 1. Roque explained that the President's remarks about imminent “modified quarantine” were actually about the implementation of the GCQ in some areas.
He said the places under ECQ will eventually move toward GCQ if there will be fewer cases of infections and their healthcare facilities are capable of providing services.
“Tinutukoy talaga ni Presidente talagang effective May 1 dahil sa GCQ we are partially open (The President was referring that effective May 1, because of the GCQ we are partially open),” he said.
“So nagkakaroon ng malalaking pagbabago kasi lahat tayo nasa ECQ at come May 15 magkakaroon ng decision kung yung mga nasa ECQ ay magiging GCQ na rin (There will really be huge changes because we are now on ECQ and come May 15, there will be a decision if those under ECQ will also be placed under GCQ),” he said.
Allowed under ECQ, GCQ
Reading the DTI recommended list, Roque first identified the following sectors allowed during ECQ and GCQ:
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Agriculture and fisheries and entire value chain including manufacturing of feeds, fertilizers and pesticides;
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Manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products, essential products, medicines, and medical supplies:
A. all food;
B. essential and hygiene products such as soap, detergents, shampoo and conditioners, diapers, feminine hygiene products, tissue, wipes and toilet papers, disinfectants;
C. medicines and vitamins,D. medical products such as personal protective equipment, masks, and gloves;
E. pet food
- Services:
A. hospitals and medical clinics;
B. dental and EENT clinics with strict health standards;
C. retail establishments such as groceries, supermarkets, convenience stores, public markets, pharmacies and drug stores;
D. food preparations and water refilling stations;
E. logistics service providers such as cargo handling, warehousing, trucking, freight forwarding and shipping line;
F. delivery services whether or not e-commerce platform, in-house or outsourced transporting only food, water, medicine, pet food, hardware products and other basic necessities;
G. delivery services for products other than the above such as clothing and accessors
H. banks and capital markets;
I. power, energy, water , IT and telecommunication supplies and facilities, waste disposal services, technical services
J. electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply;
K. postal and courier activities; water collection, treatment and supply;waste collection, treatment and disposal activities except junk shops
L. sewerage except emptying of septic tanks;
M. veterinary activities;
N. repair and installation of machinery and equipment;
O. repair and installation of marine and equipment;
P. repair of computers and personal and household goods;
Q. services to buildings and landscape activities except landscape care;
R. employment activities;
S. security and investigation activities;
T. programming and broadcasting activities;
U. rental and leasing activities except for entertainment/mass gathering purposes;
V. accommodation used as quarantine facilities for overseas Filipino workers and overseas Filipinos, healthcare workers and other frontliners;
W. extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas;
X. gasoline stations;
Y. laundry shops;
Z. funeral services
- Export:
A. export companies with temporary accommodation and shuttle services; work from home arrangement;
B. business process outsourcing companies with temporary accommodation and shuttle services; work from home;
C. mining and quarrying.
Allowed only under GCQ
Roque said the DTI has also recommended certain sectors that will be allowed in GCQ areas but not permitted in ECQ places.
- Other manufacturing activities:
A. beverages;
B. cement and steel;
C. electrical machinery;
D. wood products, furniture;
E. non-metallic products;
F. textiles/wearing apparels;
G. tobacco products;
H. paper and paper products;
I. rubber and plastic products;
J. coke and refined petroleum products;
K. other non-metallic mineral products;
L. computer, electronic, and optical products;
M. electrical equipment;
N. machinery and equipment;
O. motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers;
P. other transport equipment
- Other services:
A. limited opening of malls and commercial centers including hardware stores, clothing and accessories, and non-leisure stores;
B. barbershops, salon, spas and other personal care industries with strict health standards;
C. wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles;
D. construction and Build Build Build;
E. forestry and logging;
F. publishing activities;
G. motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing activities;
H. advertising and market research;
I. real estate activities except real estate buying and selling;
J. office administrative, office support and other business activities;
K. legal and accounting;
L. insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security;
M. architecture and engineering activities, technical testing and analysis;
N. scientific and research development;
O. other professional, scientific and technical activities;
P. social work activities without accommodation;
Q. government office - frontline offices
Banned under ECQ, GCQ
Roque also released the DTI list of recommended sectors prohibited during ECQ and GCQ:
- gyms/fitness studios and sports facilities;
- entertainment-related mass gatherings, including but not limited to theaters, cinemas, large concerts, festivals, carnivals, conventions and bars;
- business-related mass gatherings such as trade shows, conferences, conventions, workshops, retreats;
- politically-related mass gatherings such as election rallies, polling centers, parades, speeches/addresses;
- sports-related mass gatherings such as trainings, games, tournaments, championships;
- libraries, archives, museums; and other cultural activities;
- gambling and betting activities;
- travel agency, tour operator, reservation service and related activities; and,
- activities of membership organizations
Roque also confirmed that religious gatherings remain prohibited in both ECQ and GCQ areas based on the recommendation.
Revised list of ECQ areas
Meanwhile, the government has revised the list of places under ECQ from May 1 to May 15 after some verification.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Capiz, Aklan, Davao del Norte, and Davao de Oro are among the areas removed from the list of ECQ areas based on the latest resolution issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
Under the revised government list, the areas under ECQ until mid-May are the National Capital Region, Region III (Central Luzon) except Aurora province, Region IV-A (Calabarzon), Pangasinan, Benguet, Baguio City, Iloilo, Cebu, Cebu City, and Davao City.