Fitness Centers, Internet Cafes, Other Businesses Allowed To Partially Reopen In GCQ Areas Starting August 1

Starting next month, some industries under Category 4 will be allowed to operate in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) to gradually reopen some economic activities.

The following businesses are allowed to operate in areas under GCQ:

Testing and tutorial centers
Gyms
Fitness centers
Review centers
Sports facilities
Internet cafes
Establishments
Personal grooming and aesthetic services
Pet grooming

However, they are only allowed to operate at 30 percent of their maximum capacity, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Secretary Lopez confirmed that Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved DTI’s proposal to reopen some economic activities that are currently allowed in areas under modified GCQ (MGCQ).

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For personal grooming services, he said only hair, nail, and skin care services are allowed, while body massage services can only be offered in areas under MGCQ.

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On the other hand, cybercafés are allowed to reopen only for education purposes. Testing centers, meanwhile, can only accommodate 10 persons per room.

For movie watching, IATF allowed drive-in cinema for GCQ areas.

Other industries that are left in Category 4 are the following:

Full body massage
Tattoo and body piercing
Live events
Entertainment industries
Libraries
Archives
Museums and cultural centers
Tourist destinations
Schools for language
Driving, dance, activating, and voice

Industries in Category 4 are only allowed to operate in MGCQ areas.

Meanwhile, operations of cockpits and cockfighting and establishments serving primarily alcoholic beverages like beer houses are still prohibited.

Although Lopez said in a radio interview that restaurants are allowed to expand their menu to include alcoholic beverages, but it should be limited up to two bottles per person only.

Source: PNA