The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) advised the public Friday, May 14, to continue following the mandatory health protocols even as the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus starts implementing a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said it may be wise for people to learn from the disastrous experiences of those who got afflicted with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as he recounted an incident where the family members of an acquaintance got infected with the virus after attending a gathering with his children.
“Mayroon ako kakilala na nag-gather sila buong pamilya lang, mga anak na may pamilya na. Lahat sila tinamaan. Siguro mga tatlo lang ang hindi tinamaan tapos may namatay pa. Matuto na tayo sa karanasan ng iba (I know somebody who gathered with his/her whole family including the children with their own families. All of them got afflicted. Maybe only three were spared and someone even died. We should learn from somebody else’s experience),’’ Año said.
President Duterte placed NCR Plus, which pertains to Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, under a GCQ with heightened restrictions from May 15 to 31.
Under GCQ with heightened restrictions, Año revealed that the operation of entertainment venues like bars, concert halls, cinemas and theaters, recreational places, arcade, net cafes, and billiard halls are still prohibited.
“Amusement parks, playgrounds, kiddie rides bawal din. Casino, horse racing, cockfighting bawal din. Yung mga outdoor contact sports games, scrimmages bawal din yan. Mga indoor sports, courts, and venues for indoor tourist attractions bawal din pati yung mga venues for meetings, conferences (Amusement parks, playgrounds, kiddie rides are not allowed. Casino, horse racing, cockfighting are also prohibited. Outdoor contact sport games, scrimmages are also not allowed. Indoor sports, courts and venues for indoor tourist attractions are not allowed including venues for meetings, conferences),’’ he added.
In the personal care category, venues for such services are allowed only up to 30 percent capacity with the clients still required to wear masks.
"Kung magpapagupit ka walang tanggalan ng mask. Siyempre yung magpapa-ahit
hindi puwede 'yan kasi magtatanggal ng mask ( Do not remove your mask when having a haircut. But shaving is not allowed since you have to remove your mask),’’ he noted.
Año said that outdoor tourist attractions are allowed under 30 percent capacity but with strict adherence to minimum public health standards.
With regards to indoor dining, Año emphasized that 20 percent capacity is allowed while 50 percent capacity is permitted in outdoor dining or “alfresco’’ with the minimum health standards being imposed.
He said that religious services, churchgoing, wakes, weddings, and baptism are allowed with 10 percent seating or venue capacity while interzonal travels or those moving out of the NCR Plus are prohibited unless the individual is classified as an APOR (allowed persons outside residence).
Staycation within the NCR-plus is also allowed, he noted.
He further disclosed that the 10 percent capacity rule for garden weddings will still be imposed since anything more than that is tantamount to mass gathering.
With the implementation of GCQ with heightened restriction, the DILG chief begged the public to exercise more patience as the country will receive seven million COVID-19 vaccine doses in June and maybe 10 to 20 million more vaccines in July and August.
He also urged the people to take any available COVID-19 vaccines citing the importance of having protection against the virus. (Chito A. Chavez)