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94% OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES TO OPEN UNDER GCQ – LOPEZ

About 94 percent of economic activities will resume under a general community quarantine (GCQ), Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has assured.

But Lopez said companies are still encouraged to implement work-from-home arrangements even when most of the economic activities has returned under GCQ. 

The trade chief said the remaining 6 percent of economic activities that are not allowed to operate even in GCQ status are under Category 4.

“The criteria for this is (that) the risk in operating when it comes to transmission is high.”

“The criteria for this is (that) the risk in operating when it comes to transmission being high,” the trade head said in a television interview.

He added it will be too risky for businesses under Category 4 to resume their operations even under GCQ as these involve mass gatherings with physical distancing being difficult to implement.

“Category 4 have mass gatherings. Physical distancing is difficult to implement.”

Establishments under Category 4 include libraries, museums, art galleries, botanical and zoological gardens, water parks, beaches, resorts, travel agencies, tour operators, casinos and other gambling activities, massage parlors, sauna baths, facial and foot spa, and waxing salons, and other amusement and leisure places.

Since the start of the month, some parts of the country are already under GCQ while enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) remains extended until May 15 in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Pangasinan, Benguet, Iloilo, and Cebu.

The DTI and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued minimum health protocols for businesses that will re-open under the GCQ.

Among these health standards that should be implemented in the workplace include the wearing face masks, observing physical distancing, regular disinfection process, constant checking of body temperature, and the submission of a daily health symptoms questionnaire.

Companies should also test their employees who are sick or are suspected of having symptoms of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

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