About 300,000 workers are expected to go back to their jobs following Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal's recent switch to a more relaxed quarantine status.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Ireneo Vizmonte said that the returning workers are mostly from the food and personal care industry, related establishments of which have been allowed to either reopen or increase their customer capacity under the prevailing general community quarantine (GCQ) with "heightened restrictions."

Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal comprise the so-called National Capital Region (NCR)-plus.

"Itinaas natin yung mga on site capacity ng dine-in mula 10 to 20 percent at ito pong mga nadagdagan din ang mga businesses na pinapayagan under personal care services (We increased the on-site capacity of dine-in from 10 to 20 percent and we allowed the reopening of businesses under personal care services )," Vizmonte said during a televised interview Monday, May 17.

Although 300,000 workers are projected to regain their jobs under the current quarantine status, around 700,000 workers remain displaced. This is partly due to the partial reopening of food and personal care establishments.

The undersecretary explained that under the GCQ with heightened restrictions--which took effect last May 15--services that require the removal of face masks such as make up or face massage are still not allowed.

Retail establishments, whether hardware or non-essential, were also given the green light to operate. However, venues for meetings, conference, and exhibitions; entertainment centers; bars offering alcoholic drinks; casinos, and other gambling venues are supposed to remain closed.

Compared to the previously enforced "plain" GCQ of months past, indoor dine-in and personal care services capacity rules were much more lenient.

"Talaga pong dahil sa ating pag-iingat, itong mga naiwan ay masasabi nating high risk pa at inaasahan po natin na kapag nagluwag na itong GCQ ay marami po muling makakabalik sa trabaho (Since we are taking extra precautions, we consider the remaining displaced workers as belonging to the high-risk sector. We expect them to return to their jobs when the restriction eases up)," Vizmonte said.