MANILA, Philippines — Cramming grocery shopping or market runs into just a few window hours is not a good idea, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday.
Thus, local government units (LGUs) were advised by DILG Sec. Eduardo Año to lift the widow hours for their constituents to buy their groceries and do markets runs, and instead provide 12 hours for the public to buy their necessities to prevent the risk of gathering more crowds.
“Dito sa mga supermarket, palengke, I’m advising all LGUs to lift the the window hours for buying because, kapag naglagay ka ng window hours, ikukumpol-kumpol mo lang yung mga tao lalo,” Año said in a press briefing.
(I’m advising all LGUs to lift window hours to buy in supermarkets. If you place a window hour, you gather the public in one place all at once.)
Marketgoers in protective masks buy food in Munoz market before it closes for its morning business. The market cut their operations to four hours a day as part of its compliance with the enhanced community quarantine being enforced in Luzon to prevent the spread of COVID-19. AP Photo/Aaron Favila
“So it should be 12 hours and observe strictly ‘yung social distancing,” he added.
Several LGUs reportedly set a market window hour, allotting only two hours for their constituents to go to the market.
But the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) only advises that each household designate one member to buy basic goods.
Under an enhanced community quarantine, only essential establishments like healthcare facilities, supermarkets, and drugstores are allowed to operate.
As for quarantine passes, Año said the LGUs must ensure that its issuance will not lead their constituents to go outside and line up at the barangay halls.
“As long as nako-control nila yung movement ng kanilang constituents. This is a good control measure actually pero kung ito naman ay magfo-force sa mga tao na pipila at pupunta sa barangay, hindi rin ito advisable,” he said.