THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has recommended the opening up of more industries that could be allowed in areas under a general community quarantine (GCQ) by May 1.
Ramon Lopez, DTI secretary, said there are additional 16 manufacturing and 17 services sectors to be allowed under GCQ on top of the ones, which were deemed critical, allowed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ)
Lopez said the list would likely be the same sectors to be allowed to reopen in areas that would move from ECQ to GCQ by May 16.
But Lopez said the classification and sectors could further be expanded if health indicators like testing capacity, infection rate and health facilities in the GCQ areas improve.
The list of additional manufacturing sectors are: beverages; cement and steel; electrical machinery; wood products/furniture, non-metallic products textiles/wearing apparels; tobacco products, paper and paper products; rubber and plastic products; coke and refined petroleum; other non-metallic mineral products; computer, electronic and optical products; electrical equipment, machinery and equipment; motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers and other transport equipment.
Other services will be allowed to reopen. These are malls and commercial centers including hardware stores, clothing and accessories and non-leisure stores; barbershops, salons and spas and other personal care industries; wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; construction and Build Build Build; forestry and logging, publishing activities; motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing activities and advertising and market research service activities.
Other service activities that will be allowed are real estate office, insurance, architecture and engineering, scientific and research, professional, social work and government office, particularly frontline offices.
Frontline government offices which are on skeleton staffing under ECQ will be allowed to fully operate under GCQ.
The DTI said industries and activities which encourage mass gathering and where physical distancing is hard to observe will remain prohibited under GCQ.
These inclde gyms, fitness and sports, entertainment-related like theaters, cinemas, large concerts, festivals, carnivals, conventions and business related mass gatherings like trade shows and conferences and political gatherings like election rallies and parades; sports related mass gathering including trainings and tournaments; gambling and betting;
travel agencies and tour operations; libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities.
Lopez said restaurants will only be allowed to serve takeout and deliveries even under GCQ.
He said hotels will only allowed to open for special purpose of providing accommodation for workers in business process outsourcing, exporters, banks etc.
The Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Diseases is expected to tackle the DTI’s recommendations today.
Areas under ECQ are National Capital Region, Central Luzon except Aurora, Calabarzon, Pangasinan, Benguet, Baguio City, Iloilo and Cebu provinces, Cebu City, Davao City.
