By Pearl Gumapos
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday (Nov. 11) said that establishments have a responsibility to hire a health protocol officer who will make sure customers and workers are following the minimum public health standards.
“Mayroon silang responsibilidad ang mga establishments, bawat branch, bawat retail outfit na pinupuntahan natin. They’re supposed to assign a full time safety and health protocol officer,” DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
“Walang gagawin iyan kundi mag sigurado na lahat ng mga tao sa establishment na iyon, customer man or workers, ay sumusunod doon sa minimum public health standards. Iyong hindi sumusunod sa facemask, sa distancing, iyan ay puwedeng i-report ng kahit sinong mamamayan natin. For DTI, we can accept those reports.”
Meanwhile, establishments are seeing an increase in crowds as the economy opens following the implementation of the alert level 2.
“Last weekend, nakikita [ng mga establishments] iyong pagtaas ng porsyento. Some are saying na nagre-range from 50% to 80% vs. pre-pandemic levels ang naging tugon at naging percentage ng crowd na nakita natin dahil sa pagbubukas ng mga economic sectors,” Lopez said.
“Dahil dito, nabuhayan ng loob ang mga SMEs, iyong mga maliliit na negosyo. Kasabay dito iyong mga trabaho na naibalik dahil sa lakas at pagsigla ng kanilang negosyo. So, maganda ang feedback. It’s just the first weekend [of alert level 2]. Hopefully, masasanay ang ating mga kababayan para it’s moving towards a new normal at maging mas sustained iyong lakas ng pagbabalik ng mga customers nila at paglalakas ng negosyo,” he said. -rir
