RESTAURANTS, fast food establishments, barbershops and salons in Negros Occidental are generally compliant to the health protocols being implemented in light of the coronavirus disease pandemic, the top official of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the province said.
Rachel Nufable, officer-in-charge provincial director of DTI-Negros Occidental, said the agency, along with the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), has already monitored about 46 establishments in the province since June 4.
Of the figures, 40 are food establishments mostly dine-in restaurants inside a mall in Bacolod City while the six are barbershops and salons also in the city.
Nufable said all of the monitored dine-in restaurants are compliant with safety and health measures. For the barbershops and salons, one establishment is non-compliant.
“For the non-compliant establishment, it was advised to open after complying with the guidelines which will be monitored this week,” she said, adding that they have also called the attention of the mall management to check on the matter.
The official explained, though, that the concerned establishment is not totally non-compliant as “there were only some parameters which were not followed.”
Earlier, the DTI has issued new guidelines for dine-in services in fast food chains and restaurants on top of the minimum health protocols earlier released by the agency.
These included allowing face-to-face seating but with proper dividers while still maintaining at least one-meter distance between tables and chairs.
These establishments are also advised to provide food menus per table and taking orders shall be contactless.
There should be an installation of equipment and system at the workplace like properly sanitized tables and chairs after each customer’s use, visible floor markings for the guidance of clients in queuing, preferably color-coded, visibility and accessibility of sanitizing equipment and tools, clean washrooms and toilets with sufficient soap, water and tissue and toilet paper, and disinfection of high-risk areas such as order and bar counters, every 30 minutes, among others.
In taking dine-in orders specifically for counter menus, counter calls the assigned number, immediately takes customer’s order, receive payment, sanitize hands and advise the customer to sanitize hands and to wait for order at their assigned table.
These are on top of protocols set for kitchen management, setting up of service stations, and mandatory procedures upon exit, among others.
For salons and barber shops, the minimum health protocols set included the posting of information on mandatory wearing of facemasks and social distancing at the entrance and other prominent or conspicuous areas.
These establishments are required to place floor mat or foot bath with disinfectant, thermal scanner, alcohol that can be easily sprayed on the clients’ hands, health checklist to be distributed to all clients, a system where the personal effects of clients, including bags, jackets, and gadgets, are disinfected and deposited in secured sanitary plastic bags, and face shields to be distributed to clients if they availed shampoo services.
In terms of equipment found in the workplace, the distancing of chairs to at least one meter apart on all sides should be implemented.
Also, there should be visible floor markings for the guidance of clients, proper ventilation, sanitizing equipment and tools that are visible to clients, and sterilization of workstation before and after each service, among others.
These are on top of other protocols like those concerning employees in the workplace and procedures upon exit of the clients.
In Negros Occidental, Nufable said they already provided with the copies of the guidelines to a total of 234 establishments since June 8.
Of the number, copies of the guidelines were provided to 120 restaurants and fast food establishments in 10 cities and four towns in the province.
For barbershops and salons, 114 establishments in 12 cities and seven towns were already provided with the guidelines.
Nufable said the monitoring and distribution of guidelines among establishments will continue, and that they urged them to consistently comply to prevent the possible spread of the virus.
“The DTI and Dole will conduct separate monitoring activities so to cover a number of establishments. We will just meet to consolidate our findings in coming up with recommendations,” she said.
Negrense customers, on the other hand, are also urged to be vigilant and report non-compliant establishments.
The official added they want to help local businesses to bounce back after several months of temporary closure due to the lockdown but health concerns should also be prioritized.