Malacañang said that cinemas in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) will not reopen until March 1 following the apprehension of local government units (LGUs) about it being a super spreader of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Metro Manila mayors said they will appeal the decision of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for fear that the new policy may make the COVID-19 situation worse.

In his Monday presser, Roque said the IATF respects the decision of the Metro Manila mayors and has agreed to move the reopening of traditional cinemas to March 1 or until LGUs are able to issue guidelines regarding the matter.

"Hindi naman natin sinasabi na automatic na mula ngayon magiging epektibo 'yan dahil nasa mga lokal na pamahalaan po 'yan na bumuo ng kanilang mga operational guidelines (We are not saying that cinemas should be automatically open now because it's still up to LGUs to craft the operational guidelines)," he said.

"So ngayon po ang status nito, ang pagpapatupad po ng pagbubukas ng sinehan, kung matutuloy po, ay Marso a-uno (For now, the reopening of cinemas, if it will continue, will be on March 1)," he added.

Until then, Roque said the IATF will continue coordinating with the LGUs.

However, Roque said that LGUs can proceed to reopen cinemas even before the first day of March as long as they already have the operational guidelines.

"So kung ang mga LGUs po ay nag-issue na ng guidelines, wala pong hadlang para sila ay magbukas (So if LGUs have already issued the guidelines, then there is no stopping them from opening the cinemas)," he said.

The Palace official said that the IATF and LGUs agree that there was a need to revive the economy and to not relax the health protocols.

"Nagkakaisa po kami na kinakailangan buksan unti-unti ang ekonomiya dahil mas marami na po ngayon nagugutom kesa sa mga nagkakasakit o namamatay dahil sa COVID (We are one in saying that there is a need to reopen the economy because a lot of people are going hungry, more than the number of people who are getting sick or dying of COVID-19)," Roque said.

"Pero, pinagkakaisahan din po ng IATF at ng mga alkalde, hindi dapat paluwagin ang mga minimum health standards. Kinakailangan po kahit anong pagbubukas ng ekonomiya, meron pa ring Mask, Hugas, at Iwas (But the mayors and the IATF also agree that we should not relax the minimum health standards. As we reopen the economy, we should still continue to wear our masks, wash our hands, and practice physical distancing)," he added.

On February 12, the IATF allowed the reopening of cinemas in malls and the further expansion of the list of establishments allowed to resume their activities in GCQ areas:

· Driving schools

· Video and interactive-game arcades

· Libraries, archives, museums, and cultural centers

· Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, and limited social events at credited establishments of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The IATF also approved the reopening of limited tourist attractions such as parks, theme parks, natural sites, and historical landmarks.

Roque said President Duterte understood that the decision of the government's pandemic task force to reopen cinemas and other businesses in areas under GCQ was necessary to help revive the economy. 

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles is confident that the planned re-opening of movie theaters would not become a "superspreader event" as long as strict health and safety protocols against the coronavirus are observed.

He said theaters owners and moviegoers should do their part to comply with pandemic precautions from symptom check, regular disinfection of facilities, mask wearing, and physical distancing in the cinemas. (With a report from Genalyn Kabiling)