Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay on Monday warned business establishments of “permanent closure” if they fail to comply with the safety health protocols imposed by the city government.
This is after Binay signed and issued Executive Order No. 10 on Sunday in light of recent developments on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the country.
Through the EO, the mayor has ordered closed all malls in the city, as well as bars, KTVs, resto bars, cocktail lounges, gyms and similar fitness facilities, and other places where people congregate.
“Our inspection teams from the city Business Permit Office will monitor the compliance of malls and other establishments that have been ordered to close down. They will also check on businesses allowed to continue operations if they are strictly following the guidelines on social distancing and the ban on dine-in services, among others,” Binay said.
The EO stated that pharmacies, groceries, 24/7 convenience stores, hardware stores, medical clinics and diagnostic centers and laboratories, banks and financial institutions, and restaurants located inside malls will remain open.
However, dine-in guests will not be allowed, even for restaurants and other food establishments outside malls. Food will only be available for take-out or delivery so these establishments can effectively apply social distancing.
“This is not only for the safety of their guests but also for the crew and management who keep the businesses running,” the mayor stressed.
She also encouraged netizens to help the authorities by promptly reporting violations through My Makati, the city’s official Facebook page.
Condotels and hotels in Makati will also remain open. However, the mayor stressed their restaurants should only accommodate their own guests.
Food establishments, even eateries, are required to practice social distancing, meaning people should maintain a distance of one meter apart from one another.
“Establishments and businesses that cannot practice social distancing will not be allowed to operate. For example, barbershops, salons, or spas which require employees to be in close proximity to their clients will have to close down,” Binay added.
Starting Monday, Makati will also implement a citywide curfew from 8 pm until 5 am. However, exempted from the curfew are call center agents and other night-shift workers, health workers and persons providing basic services and public utilities, authorized government officials, those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, persons transiting to the airport for travel abroad, persons delivering food and medicines, and essential skeletal workforce of the city government of Makati.
“Those who violate the curfew can be charged with a number of offenses under the penal code, including disobedience or alarm and scandal,” Binay warned.
The city chief executive also said the local government will be coming up with measures to minimize the economic impact of the month-long closures and restrictions.
“In the next few weeks, we will be discussing possible forms of assistance we can extend to affected businesses. We will look at incentives that will have a trickle-down effect that will ultimately benefit the affected employees,” she said.
The mayor also announced that the city is open to hire 30 nurses at present and expected the demand to increase when the isolation center becomes fully operational.
She also said the city government will be closely working with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to help augment the loss of income of affected workers. She said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello has assured her that displaced workers can apply for emergency employment with DOLE.
Under Executive Order No. 10 placing Makati City under General Community Quarantine from March 15, 2020 until April 14, 2020, all city government-run facilities, except Ospital ng Makati and barangay health centers, will be closed from the public.
“Everybody is directed to stay at home, especially senior citizens, immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant women. Flexible work arrangements shall be encouraged in the private sector in accordance with the guidelines of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). This time frame may be shortened or extended depending on the recommendations of the Makati Health Department (MHD) or other authorities,” Binay explained.
City-run facilities, including all public schools, basketball and badminton courts, swimming pools, multi-purpose halls, barangay halls, theaters, gyms, and the University of Makati will be shuttered.
Mayor Binay said Makati City Hall will remain open with a skeletal workforce and will limit access to its premises. Thus, all applications for Yellow Card, Blu Card, PWD Card, Makatizen Card and other social benefit cards will be suspended until things return to normal.
Despite all these, Binay reassured the public that Makati City is ready and prepared to fight COVID-19.
She said the city has been disinfecting public facilities daily since the second week of February, especially areas where COVID-19 positive patients resided and frequented.
“I would like to ask our dear Makatizens to make it a habit to clean and disinfect our homes and common areas. I am encouraging everyone to join our ‘ocho-ocho’ campaign. It’s not a dance craze but a community clean up drive to keep the COVID-19 virus away. At 8 am, let us clean and disinfect our homes; at 8 pm, we do it all over again,” the mayor said.
“The best defense against the virus is to stay at home. I am appealing to all Makati residents to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to leave the house. When you do leave the house, please wear a mask, practice social distancing, and remember coughing and sneezing etiquette. Please disinfect so you don’t pass the virus on to your loved ones and family. COVID-19 is not a joke, and we must all do our share to fight it,” she added.