AN INSPECTION of various establishments after the return to the Alert Level 2 quarantine setting this month resulted in a restaurant in Metro Manila being cited for failure to observe health protocols, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.
In a statement issued on Monday, the DTI said it inspected five establishments in Mandaluyong City on Feb. 3 and found a restaurant to be noncompliant with the standards set for on-premises dining.
After the inspection, the DTI issued a request for corrective action (RCA) to the restaurant for non-observance of the guidelines set out in Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 21-02.
The other establishments inspected were in the personal care, cinema, recreational, and fitness industries.
Trade Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said the restaurant is expected to submit its response to the RCA, together with evidence that it corrected the issue, within 48 hours from the receipt of the document.
“Otherwise, DTI will recommend to the local government unit (LGU) concerned the suspension of the Safety Seal issued in favor of the establishment or the suspension of the operation thereof if it continues to not observe the DTI-Department of Tourism JMC No. 21-02,” Ms. Castelo said.
Ms. Castelo said at a Laging Handa briefing that at least 100,000 workers are projected to return to work after the quarantine setting for Metro Manila and other areas was relaxed to Alert Level 2.
She said the 30% indoor operating capacity and 50% outdoor operating capacity allowed under Alert Level 3 have increased following the downgrade to Alert Level 2.
Under Alert Level 2, businesses are allowed to operate at 50% indoor capacity and at 70% for outdoor venues.
“According to DTI estimates, we have around 100 (thousand) to 200,000 jobs that will return,” Ms. Castelo said.
The government placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Batanes, Biliran, Southern Leyte, and Basilan under Alert Level 2 from Feb. 1 to Feb. 15 following a decline in COVID-19 cases. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
