The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) wanted to open up the economy further by allowing malls and other businesses to open at 100% capacity under the general community quarantine (GCQ).
“Ngayon isina-suggest natin pwede nang i-100%. Anyway ito ‘yung mga safe na mga trabaho at wala tayong nakikitang transmission dito dahil mahigpit pa rin ang minimum health standard enforcement natin,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Tuesday.
The Trade chief said DTI would propose to have the following establishments operate up to 100% capacity:
- Financial services such money exchange, insurance, lending companies, pension funding
- Legal and accounting
- Management consultancy
- Architecture and engineering activities
- Science and research and development
- Advertising
- market research
- Computer programming
- Publishing and printing
- Film, music, and TV production
- Recruitment and placement agencies for overseas employment
- Photography services
- Fashion, industrial, graphic, interior design
- Wholesale and retail trade of motor vehicles
Also read: Batanes reports first COVID-19 case
DTI pushes for 100% capacity in malls, other business under GCQ
“Mga tindahan sa mall na dati naka 50% [like] hardware, clothing, bookstore, etc… So lahat ng nasa mall na ni-limit ng 50% puwede na ring mag-operate ng 100%,” Lopez said.
Lopez said the recommendation aims to increase the number of workers allowed to report to work, therefore boosting the reopening of the economy.
“Sa mga nasa opisina naman puwede pa rin ang work from home,” Lopez said.
The Trade chief said the capacity for dine-in services in food establishments would depend on the decision of the local government units.
“We leave it to [the] mayors. We leave it to them kung gaano kalaki ang ii-increase nila sa operating capacity anywhere from 50 to 100% hanggang kaya nung physical distancing,” Lopez said.
The DTI is also pushing to extend the operating hours of dine-in services beyond the curfew period to allow those working in the graveyard shift to have somewhere to eat.
President Rodrigo Duterte announced Monday night that Metro Manila, Batangas, Tacloban City, Bacolod City, Iligan City, and Iloilo City would be under GCQ whole of October.
Only Lanao del Sur, including Marawi City, will remain under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) by October 1.