Following the reopening of more establishments under IATF’s Alert Level 3 status, the Quezon City government releases a new set of guidelines for business owners and administrators to strictly implement.

Under the Quezon City Guidelines for Alert Level 3, the city government will ensure that businesses and facilities, especially indoor venues, are compliant with the Safety Seal standards set by the national and local government.

“As we start opening more establishments, the city will ensure that they also comply with the Safety Seal standards set by the national government. We’ll do spot inspections through our Department of Building Official (DBO) and Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD),” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

DBO Head Atty. Dale Perral and BPLD Chief Ma. Margarita Santos met with mall and cinema owners and administrators to discuss the provisions of the guidelines.

Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP) has also developed “Sa Sine Safe Ka” program to ensure that health and safety protocols are strictly implemented inside the movie houses. Movie houses will conduct interventions such as installing a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) safety system, requiring accomplished contact tracing form from patrons, prohibiting food inside auditoriums, and frequent cleaning and disinfection of the venue.

The mayor also clarified that inspections are not a prerequisite for the establishment to resume operations.

“As we believe that the establishments are compliant with the prescribed standards, lalo na sa ventilation interventions, we will still conduct random inspections to ensure that these facilities are properly maintained by the building managers and administrators,” Mayor Belmonte explained.

Leisure venues such as cinemas and movie houses will now be open as long as all workers in these establishments are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and minimum health standards are strictly maintained.

Like cinemas, venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions (MICE), social events, tourist attractions such as libraries, museums, amusement parks, recreational venues such as internet cafes, and amusement arcades, may also operate at a maximum of 30% indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated persons, and at 50% outdoor venue capacity for persons regardless of vaccination status subject to compliance to age restrictions. An additional 10% will be allowed if these venues have been issued Safety Seals.

These establishments should also assign health safety officers to ensure that only fully vaccinated people are accommodated especially in confined spaces and that minimum health protocols are strictly implemented.

Moreover, shopping malls are requested to ask their customers to present their vaccination card prior to entry. If a person does not have a vaccination card, he is still allowed to enter the mall to do essential activities (grocery, medical, and government services).

“As we want to vaccinate more people, we also directed mall managements to gather and list down the name, contact number, and barangay of unvaccinated patrons and submit it to the city government so they can immediately be scheduled for vaccination,” Mayor Belmonte explained.

On the other hand, wake at home for non-COVID deceased are now allowed. They should be buried or cremated after a maximum of three days of wake, provided that immediate family within the first degree of affinity or consanguinity of not more than 10 persons may visit the remains of the deceased.

Activities such as gambling, videoke, and drinking of alcoholic beverages during the wake are not allowed.

Furthermore, the city also allowed various activities for fully vaccinated senior citizens. Starting October 16, fully vaccinated elderly can dine indoors and outdoors.

The city is also encouraging QCitizens to report any violations by establishments to Hotline 122 or to QCitizen Watch at https://quezoncity.gov.ph/file-report.

“The venue is accountable for the reinforcement of these restrictions. If they fail, they are subject to penalties as stated in Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act,” Mayor Belmonte added.

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