RESTAURANTS in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) may again provide indoor dine-in services, while beauty salons and barber shops may reopen, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Thursday, April 29, 2021.

Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved indoor dine-in services of up to 10 percent and personal care services of up to 30 percent of capacity.

Both clients and service providers in beauty salons, beauty parlors, barber shops and nail spas must wear face masks at all times.

Roque said these businesses may operate beyond their allowed capacity provided that they comply with the Safety Seal Certification Program, which recognizes establishments that strictly follow health protocols.

The areas under MECQ are the National Capital Region and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna until May 14, and Santiago City, Quirino and Abra until May 31, 2021.

In a televised press briefing, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said at least 400,000 personal care services workers and 100,000 restaurant workers were not allowed to work when the NCR plus reverted to harsh quarantine measures due to a sharp increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

They were among the estimated 1.5 million employees in NCR plus who were displaced during ECQ. Of this number, about 500,000 were able to resume working under MECQ, Castelo said.

As of April 29, there were still 69,354 active Covid-19 cases in the country while 17,145 had died and 942,239 have recovered. (SunStar Philippines)