Taguig City has awarded special citations to at least 100 business establishments that were found to be compliant with minimum public health standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Thursday, Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano led the Safety Seal Certification award ceremony to recognize establishments practicing the health and safety protocols imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
Cayetano said through the Safety Seal program, “citizens are further empowered to continue their livelihood, go to their workplaces, and do so with joy knowing that establishments in the city comply with minimum public health standards.”
The SM Aura and other establishments situated in Bonifacio High Street were among the recipients of the Safety Seal Certification during the event attended by local government and national government officials including Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Laarni Cayetano, among others.
Lawyer Clarence Santos, head of the Safe City Task Force, said a total of 104 establishments already received their Safety Seal Certifications and were labeled compliant.
The awardees were part of the 158 establishments in the Bonifacio High Street east block, SM Aura, and Serendra that were inspected for compliance to safety protocols. The remaining 54, the official said, are now being evaluated.
The use of the safety seal is in line with Joint Memorandum Circular No. 21-01 Series of 2021 jointly issued by the Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of Health, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Tourism, and the Department of Trade and Industry.
The memorandum was based on the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution No. 87, which aims for such an inspection and certification mechanism for business establishments and major public places in particular.
The resolution came as the national government further eased restrictions in some parts of the country, including Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
“The rolling out of the safety seal in the city of Taguig is really to instill confidence sa mga kababayan natin na hand-in-hand ang government at ang private sector, working together,” Mayor Cayetano said.
An establishment that receives a safety seal from the Taguig government will also receive benefits in other forms.
Mayor Cayetano said the employees of these establishments will be subjected to regular COVID-19 testing—free of charge. He added the city was also laying the groundwork for their vaccination prioritization.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, for his part, commended Taguig’s initiatives amid the pandemic, noting, in particular, the “advanced” vaccination system and the excellent partnership between the local government and the private sector.
He urged Cayetano, whom he called an “innovative, dynamic and hardworking” mayor, to share these best practices with the IATF so these could be hopefully replicated by other local government units.
“And I can see how Taguig is doing it, and I can see how far and how good yung inyo pong achievement dito sa Taguig in managing the pandemic,” he said.
As of June 2, Taguig is among the the cities in Metro Manila with the lowest active cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 population. The city also has the lowest case fatality rate with 259 or 0.98 percent versus 2.12% of Metro Manila.