Department of Trade and Industry Sec. Ramon Lopez on Monday (Sept. 27) said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has allowed indoor dining at 10% capacity provided that the workers and customers are vaccinated.
“In-allow na po ng IATF iyong ten percent indoor. At para maging safe ito doon sa mga customer, ni-limit muna natin doon sa vaccinated, pati sa workers, pati sa customers,”Lopez said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
“Pero pagdating po sa outdoor ay vaccinated workers ang requirement; pero sa customers, open na po, wala na pong distinction ng vaccinated at hindi vaccinated,” he added.
Lopez said the non-distinction between vaccinated and not vaccinated is to assure that no discrimination is being done.
“That is an effort na para talagang mas open naman ito sa lahat at hindi naman masabing may favoritism or may discrimination tayo. But the idea po kapag sa indoor, talaga hong mas safe talaga sa mga vaccinated,” he said.
Lopez said that once deescalated to Alert Level 3, 2, or 1, there will no longer be a distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
Lopez also said allowing restaurants to open will help revive the economy.
“Of course, iyong impact po nito sa ating economic activities, at least ho masasabi na imbes na sarado sila ay na-allow sila na mag-operate kahit napakaliit.”
“Mabuti na ito kaysa sa sarado at kahit papaano ay may papasok na benta, may pansuweldo sila at mapapabalik nila ang mga workers nila sa kanilang operation, sa kanilang mga branches,” he said. – PG-rir