THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) sees better employment conditions in Metro Manila within the month after the lowering of the Alert Level in the region.
In a television interview on Thursday, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III welcomed the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to lower the Alert Level in the region from 4 to 3.
“This will revive our economy, it will slightly help improve businesses and once business improves, it will mean better employment opportunities,” Bello said.
Under Alert Level 3, the government will allow the following businesses and activities to resume: incentives, conferences and exhibitions [MICE]; social events; tourist attractions; amusement or theme parks; recreational venues; cinemas and movie houses; licensure or entrance exams; in-person religious gatherings; dine-in services; personal care establishments; and fitness studios, gyms, and non-contact exercises and sports.
Establishments, which will offer the activities and businesses indoors, will only be allowed to operate with 30-percent venue capacity and accommodate only the fully vaccinated.
If an establishment offers the said businesses and activities outdoors, it could accommodate both vaccinated and fully vaccinated individuals with 50-percent venue capacity.
The said venue capacities could be increased by another 10 percent if the concerned establishment obtains a Safety Seal Certification.
Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay said the expanded list of businesses which could operate in NCR is “an encouraging development in the labor market.”
“We expect it will make an impact in the labor market within the month,” Tutay said in a Viber message.
DOLE earlier said establishments must be allowed to operate with 50 percent to 70 percent venue capacity so they will not be operating at a loss.
