MANILA, Philippines — Food delivery services will not be suspended or prohibited amid the imposition of a Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVUD-19), Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said Tuesday.
Lopez said food deliveries will limit the movement of people and open opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Ang ini-encourage natin, at least may food preparation at delivery (What we encourage is there should be at least food preparation and delivery),” Lopez said in a press briefing.
President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine which will be in effect from March 17 to April 13 to help contain and combat the viral pandemic.
Under the enhanced quarantine measure, only private establishments providing basic necessities related to food, medicine, banks, power, energy, water, telecommunications, among others will remain open.
“Dahil yung ginawa ng mga ibang nag-lockdown, even in China, in Wuhan, yung delivery business ang lumakas. At least may hanapbuhay pa rin yung mga SMEs natin. Yan po ang mga opportunities sa ngayon,” Lopez said.
(In China, in Wuhan, where a lockdown was implemented, the delivery business boomed. At least our SMEs can grab the opportunity and still run their businesses.)
Authorities in Hubei province in China, where the COVID-19 outbreak started, also put a halt to nearly all transportation and movement except for quarantine efforts, medical care and delivery of food and basic necessities.
President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of public health emergency throughout the country due to rising transmission of COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2.
To date, the country has so far recorded 142 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 12 fatalities.
Most COVID-19 patients recover from mild symptoms such as fever and cough. The elderly and immunocompromised, or those with existing health issues, however, are vulnerable to more serious conditions such as pneumonia and respiratory problems.
The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic since it has already infected more than 160,000 people and killed over 6,000 worldwide.