The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has revised the guidelines for the nationwide community quarantine to allow more businesses to operate at full capacity.
The revisions were adopted by the IATF-EID through its Resolution 38 inked on May 22, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement on Saturday.
IATF-EID Resolution 38, which contains the fresh guidelines, authorizes the full operation of public or private hospitals; health and emergency front-line services; and manufacturers of medicines, medical supplies, devices and equipment in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), modified ECQ (MECQ), and general community quarantine (GCQ).
The IATF-EID also allows industries involved in agriculture, forestry, and fishery, as well as those rendering delivery and courier services that are transporting food, medicine and other essential goods to operate at full capacity in ECQ, MECQ and GCQ zones.
Private establishments involved in the provision of essential goods and services, media establishments, establishments offering utility relocation work and specified limited works are allowed to operate at a maximum of 50 percent in areas under ECQ and at full capacity in places under MECQ and GCQ, according to the fresh guidelines issued by the IATF-EID.
Medical, dental, rehabilitation, and optometry clinics; pharmacies and drug stores; veterinary clinics; banks and money transfer services; capital markets, water supply, and sanitation services and facilities; energy and power firms; telecommunications companies; airline and aircraft maintenance can also resume partial operations in ECQ zones and full operations in MECQ GCQ zones.
The IATF-EID also allows partial operations in ECQ areas and full operations in MECQ and GCQ areas of manufacturing companies; state-run Philippine Postal Corporation and Philippine Statistics Authority; business process outsourcing (BPO) and export-oriented businesses; essential projects; funeral and embalming services; and funeral rites.
Humanitarian assistance personnel; security personnel; printing presses; companies engaged in repair and maintenance of machinery and equipment; and real estate activities limited to leasing can also partially operate in areas under ECQ and fully operate in places under MECQ and GCQ.
For areas under MECQ, the IATF-EID permits the full operations of media establishments; BPO and export-oriented companies; electric commerce firms; other postal and courier services; establishments involved in rental and leasing; recruitment and placement agencies; and those offering housing services.
The new guidelines still allow the full operations of media establishments; BPO and export-oriented firms; electric commerce companies; other postal and courier services; establishments involved in rental and leasing; recruitment and placement agencies; and those offering housing services in GCQ zones.
The IATF-EID also permits the full operations of power, energy, water, and other utilities, agriculture, fishery and forestry industries; food manufacturing and food supply chain businesses; food preparation establishments; and food delivery services in areas where GCQ was enforced.
Health-related establishments; the logistics sector; information technology and telecommunication firms; and media establishments are still authorized to operate at full capacity in GCQ zones.
Mining and other manufacturing and electric commerce companies, as well as other delivery, repair and maintenance, and housing and office services, can also operate “between 50 percent up to full operational capacity” in areas put under GCQ, according to the guidelines.
The IATF-EID also authorizes financial services; legal and accounting, and auditing services; professional, scientific, technical, and other non-leisure services; and other non-leisure wholesale and retail firms to operate at “50 percent work-on-site arrangement, and without prejudice to work-from-home and other alternative work arrangements in GCQ areas.
ECQ in Cebu and Mandaue cities and MECQ in Metro Manila, Laguna, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Zambales will lapse on May 31.
The rest of the areas in the country are under GCQ until May 31.
Malacañang earlier said that the nationwide GCQ may likely be imposed in August this year. (Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos/PNA)
