DTI recommends easing of restrictions on services and manufacturing sectors

The Department of Trade and Industry has recommended the easing of restrictions on the services sector and relevant manufacturing industries in areas under the general community quarantine.

It will present the recommendation during a meeting with members of the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases Wednesday.

“These recommendations, if approved by the IATF, will be enforced starting May 1, 2020,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

He said the list of areas that would be reopened under the GCQ include real estate activities; office administrative/office support; legal and accounting; insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security; architecture and engineering, technical testing and analysis; scientific and research development; other professional, scientific and technical activities; social work activities without accommodation; and government frontline offices.

Manufacturing across activities specifically on the production of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, was deemed an important industrial activity in a GCQ area.

“If health indicators—testing capacity, infection rate, health facilities—improve, the classification and sectors can be [further] relaxed,” Lopez said.

Entertainment and leisure enterprises would not be allowed to reopen under the GCQ. These include theaters, play centers, concerts venues, events, conventions, trade shows and similar establishments.

“Hotels are allowed [to operate] but for special purpose of providing accommodations for workers in the business process outsourcing companies, exporting firms, banks, etc.,” Lopez said.

He said the tourism and travel sector would continue to experience a difficult time. “At any rate, expect that travel and tourism will still be very weak,” he said.

The department said services and industries that are given the flexibility to reopen may operate on full workforce. These include manufacturing activities registered with the Board of Investments and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.