The government's pandemic task force has once again allowed the conduct of horse-racing activities in areas under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, however, said that the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases decided that no spectators will be allowed in the venue of the race.
"The IATF approved the conduct of horse-racing activities in areas under MECQ under a no-audience set up," he said Friday.
Roque said only online and TeleBet activities in the National Capital Region-plus (NCR-plus) bubbe area may operate.
Off-tracking betting stations, on the other hand, may resume operations during the general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified GCQ (MGCQ).
It took six months before the IATF allowed the resumption of Philippine horse racing in September last year. Horse racing was one of the establishments forced to close down during the lockdown due to the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Philippine horse racing was once again suspended when Metro Manila and nearby provinces reverted to ECQ due to the alarming spike in COVID-19 cases.
The industries that were prohibited from operating under the ECQ and MECQ based on Section 3(5)(f) Omnibus Guidelines were:
- Casinos
- Horse racing
- Cockfighting and operation of cockpits
- Lottery and betting shops
- Other gaming establishments except for the draws conducted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office
IATF Resolution No. 114 released on May 7 allowed horse-racing activities under the MECQ. The operation of the other establishments under the same list from the Omnibus Guidelines remained prohibited.