FULLY vaccinated individuals and minors who are unvaccinated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) may now have access to indoor facilities in some establishments in Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City, according to guidelines issued to implement the Covid-19 Alert Level System 2 in these cities starting October 20, 2021.
This, as Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan released their separate executive orders (EO) on October 20, 2021, effective immediately, to adopt the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ guidelines under the Alert Level System.
Chan’s Executive Order 2021-058 specifies that people of all ages regardless of vaccination status may avail themselves of the outdoor capacity of such establishments in Lapu-Lapu City.
In both cities, persons of all ages are also now allowed to engage in individual outdoor exercises regardless of comorbidity or vaccination status, according to the orders.
Minors, or those below 18 years old, shall be allowed to move about to obtain essential goods and services or work in permitted industries and offices.
For the establishments allowed to operate under limited capacity during Alert Level 2, all their employees must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
In Lapu-Lapu City, such establishments/activity organizers must first secure a special permit from the City Government, while in Mandaue City, only large public gatherings not indicated in the allowed list of establishments for limited operations must obtain approval from the Mandaue City Local Task Force-Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
In Mandaue City, lawyer August Lizer Malate, chairman of the EOC and head of the Business Permit and Licensing Office, said more privileges will be given to the fully vaccinated individuals in Mandaue City, as fully vaccinated individuals wishing to enter the city will no longer be require to submit a negative swab test result.
This is for domestic travel, as international travel is still subject to the guidelines of the IATF and the Bureau of Quarantine.
As for Lapu-Lapu, its City Government suspended the requirement for persons entering the city to present a negative result of an RT-PCR test taken in the last 72 hours or antigen test taken in the last 48 hours prior to boarding.
With more privileges given to the fully vaccinated, Malate hopes the public will be encouraged to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Under Alert Level 2, more establishments will be opening, so Malate said an enforcement unit will monitor the establishments’ compliance with the EO.
Both cities also lifted their liquor ban.
In Lapu-Lapu City, this means the prohibition on the drinking of liquor in public places is suspended. In Mandaue, it means the selling, serving and consuming of alcoholic drinks at the establishments are allowed provided that the operators secure a business permit and license to operate.
The two cities’ EOs specify that indoor capacity (for fully vaccinated individuals, and those below 18 years old even if unvaccinated), shall be 50 percent (+10 percent if with Safety Seal Certification), while outdoor capacity (for all persons regardless of age or vaccination status) shall be 70 percent (+10 percent if with Safety Seal Certification). These limits apply to venues for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (Mice); permitted venues for social events like wedding, engagement and birthday parties; tourist attractions like libraries, museums, galleries and parks; amusement or theme parks; recreational venues like internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, skating rinks, swimming pools and the like; and cinemas and movie houses.
The same indoor and outdoor capacity limits shall be applied for limited face-to-face classes for basic education subjects (subject to approval of the Office of the President), higher education and technical-vocational education and training; licensure or entrance/qualifying exams by government agencies; religious gatherings including wakes and funerals; dine-in services; personal care establishments like salons, nail spas and those offering aesthetic/cosmetic procedures; fitness studios and gyms for individual non-contact exercise and sports (provided workers and clients wear masks at all times); contact sports approved by the local government; fairs/peryas or kid amusement industries like playgrounds, playrooms and kiddie rides.
Subject to the same rules on capacity are film, music and TV production; venues with live voice or wind-instrument performers and audiences like karaoke bars, clubs, concert halls and theaters; and gatherings in homes with persons not belonging to the same household.
Still not allowed to operate are casinos, horse racing venues, cockpits, lottery and betting shops and other gaming establishments, unless authorized by the Office of the President.
The curfew is from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in Lapu-Lapu City while it is 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. in Mandaue City. (CTL, KFD)