Mall sales return as government eases restrictions

The government has allowed shopping malls and other commercial establishments, as well as the travel industry, to increase their operations, officials said Friday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) had approved guidelines set by the Department of Commerce and Industry (DTI) to increase business operations, including travel and tourism.

RE-OPEN MORE SECTORS A shopping center offers a bargain offer as the government eases restrictions on commercial activity to revive the economy. —RICHARD A. REYES

‘Sale throughout the mall’

On Wednesday, the DTI issued Circular Memorandum No. 20-53, which is intended to further reopen the economy without having to put Metro Manila and other general community quarantine (GCQ) areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

In a speech at an online event on Friday, Commerce Secretary Ramón López said that “there are ways without going to the MGCQ to reopen more sectors by really adjusting their operational capacity. And that means more workers could go back to work. “

He also sent a message to reporters, saying that the “IATF [had] DTI approved[‘s] proposal to once again allow sales throughout the shopping center to generate more economic activities “.

Also by virtue of the circular, “travel agencies, tour operators, reservation service and related activities are re-categorized from Category IV to Category III and are therefore allowed to reopen at 50 percent of the operational capacity for the areas under GCQ and 100 percent of the capacity for the areas placed under MGCQ ”, it said.

Greater freedom

The government had previously classified companies into four categories, to determine which companies are allowed at specific levels of quarantine and up to what operational capacity. For example, in Category IV, cinemas, full-body massages, and even libraries were not allowed in GCQ areas.

With more business openings, the government has also given Filipinos greater freedom to move around, as it now allows teenagers and older people to leave their homes and even travel abroad for pleasure.

Roque said that now people can also travel between areas under the GCQ and the more flexible MGCQ, accommodation previously only allowed to front-line people in health, humanitarian work and other critical services.

Starting October 21, Filipinos would be allowed to leave the country for non-essential travel.

But they would have to present confirmed round trip tickets and they should have adequate travel and health insurance if they are leaving on tourist visas.

They must also execute an immigration declaration recognizing the risks involved in travel and submitting a negative antigen test (a swab test with faster results) within 24 hours before departure.

Roque said non-essential inbound trips are not allowed yet.

However, visitors to Boracay are allowed, after obtaining negative results from a swab test no earlier than 72 hours prior to the travel date.

Roque said that more sports activities could also be carried out. Off-track horse racing wagering is permitted in areas under GCQ, while cockfighting activities may begin in areas under MGCQ.

However, in-person audiences, online or remote gambling, and cockfighting are not allowed, he said. —WITH REPORTS FROM ROY STEPHEN C. CANIVEL

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