CHAIRMAN Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) inspected a number of private establishments in the cities of Mandaluyong and San Juan on Thursday as the National Capital Region was placed under Covid-19 Alert Level 4.
Abalos joined San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos in inspecting restaurants, salons, and other establishments in Greenhills Shopping Center and SM Megamall to check if they are complying with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) guidelines under Alert Level 4.
During the inspection, the officials installed “100 percent Fully Vaccinated” stickers at the entrance of establishments whose employees have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
“We are satisfied with the private establishments’ compliance with the guidelines for the Alert Level system piloted in Metro Manila. Despite the short notice to the mayors, they all delivered,” said Abalos in his assessment of the first day of the pilot implementation of the Alert Level 4 in Metro Manila.
Abalos said the inspection focused on the three Cs—closed space like restaurants; close contact which includes personal care services like salons, and crowded space like churches.
“With the opening of establishments, we must ensure that transmission of Covid-19 is prevented and everyone is safe from the virus,” he said.
Under Level 4, outdoor or alfresco dine-in services in restaurants are allowed to operate at 30 percent capacity, regardless of customers’ vaccination status; while indoor dine-in services may be allowed at 10 percent capacity, only for fully vaccinated individuals.
Personal care services limited to barbershops, hair spas, nail spas, and beauty salons are allowed to operate at 30 percent, if these services are conducted outdoors, regardless of customers’ vaccination status while indoor services are at 10 percent capacity, only for fully vaccinated persons.
Abalos asked the public to cooperate and follow the rules and regulations enforced under the alert level 4 and granular lockdown in the region “to ensure that the pilot implementation in NCR will be successful.”
He lauded local chief executives in Metro Manila for ensuring the orderly implementation of the rules in accordance with IATF-EID guidelines issued for the enforcement of the quarantine alert level system.
“We have coordinated with all concerned agencies like the Philippine National Police, for the enforcement of rules on the ground, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the provision of the food supply, etc.,” he said.
The DSWD will assist the LGUs in giving food packs for residents affected by two-week granular lockdowns.
Meanwhile, the two mayors hailed the national government’s efforts and the IATF for the opening of business establishments and other activities.
Aside from the vaccination cards, Mayor Abalos said business owners require their workers to possess government issued-identification cards.