Cinema operators in Valenzuela City must first submit to the local government their coronavirus disease (COVID-19) management plan before being allowed to reopen.

Mayor Rex Gatchalian pointed this out on Friday as he green-lighted the reopening of cinemas in the city.

"The cinema operators in the city must submit their COVID-19 Management Plan and ventilation plan for approval. So the cinemas have yet to get the city's final approval prior to officially opening their doors to the public," Gatchalian said in a Facebook post.

He said the local government has to make sure that cinema operators in the city "are compliant with the health standards and protocols before they start to operate again." Arcades, he said, are still prohibited from operating.

"Walang mabubuksan pa sa araw na ito kasi hndi pa sila nagsusubmit ng plano nila (No cinema will be allowed to open yet because cinema operators have not yet submitted their plans)," Gatchalian said in a DZBB interview.

"Ang kondisyon namin para mabuksan sila ng tuluyan, kailangan nila mag-submit ng new normal management plan. Kailangan naming makita yung seating capacity... ventilation layout (Our condition for them to reopen is we need to see their new normal management plan, including their seating capacity and ventilation layout)," he added. Gatchalian said he would only suggest a 25 percent operating capacity.

In Thursday's television interview, Gatchalian announced that he would allow the reopening of cinemas starting March 5, in line with a Department of Trade and Industry's memorandum allowing leisure activities amid the pandemic.

Amid concerns raised on the reopening of leisure activities, Gatchalian assured that the local government will intensify its monitoring efforts and regulate its six cinemas, which for him is only "a handful." "We may have our reservations. But then, the national government experts already gave us a directive by all means, we (will) follow and we (will) work within the framework," he said.