Export-oriented businesses are allowed to continually operate 100 percent capacity and unhampered during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period from August 6 to 20.
The Philippine Exporters Confederation (PhilExport) issued this advisory to members to continue their operations at full capacity during the two-week hard lockdown.
Exporters can also continue transacting with the Bureau of Customs, which will observe business as usual work although the agency can only operate at 50 percent skeletal workforce. Other BOC personnel will on telecommuting, according to PhilExport.
In another statement, the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) said it respects the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the clamor to place Metro Manila and other areas under hard lockdown as long as it is based on science and sound analysis of relevant statistics.
FPI Chairman Jesus L. Arranza said, “This lingering battle against COVID-19 and its socio-economic impact requires the cooperation of all sectors. So, while we at FPI are also concerned about the effect of another lockdown on our economy, we are also confident of the ability of IATF members to determine which course to take in arresting the rising number of infections amid the emergence of the deadlier
and more transmissible Delta variant:”
He, however, appealed to the Department of Health (DOH) and the IATF to consider the idea of summoning leaders of medical institutions into a summit where they would share notes on best practices that led to the recovery of some 1.5 million COVID-19 patients in the country.
He said a clear report and statistics on what the hospitals are doing to treat COVID-19 patients, whether they have comorbidities or not, will help ease the anxiety of Filipinos. This will also give everyone the needed information to prevent them from relying on mere rumors or recommendations of people identifying themselves as experts on social media on how best to treat COVID.
Arranza said in this summit, the hospitals can also share how they are treating COVID patients according to their comorbidities and come up with a chart indicating best practices and treatment protocols.
The health experts can also take this opportunity to benchmark what Philippine hospitals are doing with the best practices of leading medical institutions worldwide.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced last July 30, 2021 that Metro Manila will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) "with heightened restrictions" from July 30 to August 5, and will subsequently shift to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20. The new community quarantine classification was imposed to prevent the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant.
Provinces that will remain under GCQ with heightened restrictions from August 1 to 15 will be Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Lucena City, Naga City, Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, and Butuan City.
On the other hand, provinces that will remain under GCQ without restrictions from August 1 to 31 will include Baguio City, Apayao, City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Quezon, Batangas, Puerto Princesa, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur.
Further, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, and Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be put under regular GCQ as well for the entire month of August.