Golf courses to open albeit with strict health protocols in GCQ areas – Año
MANILA, Philippines — The government will soon allow golf courses to open in general community quarantine (GCQ) areas but has to be subject to strict health requirements, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday.
“Under GCQ, pwede na magbukas ang golf courses kailangan lang ang ating minimum health standards at talagang pinakamahirap diyan ‘yung paggamit ng locker. Dapat paggamit ng locker pinagbawal muna dahil diyan nagkakasama ang mga players, nagsho-shower diyan so dapat may panuntunan ang golf courses diyan,” Año said over DZBB when asked about letting golf courses resume operations.
(Under GCQ, golf courses can already open but they need to follow minimum health standards and, really what’s difficult there is the usage of the locker. Use of the locker area must be prohibited in the meantime because players converge there, showering, so golf courses must have guidelines for that.)
Año said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) will need to change its Omnibus Resolution first as they signed a guideline that stated golf courses are allowed in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) but no locality was placed under MGCQ.
“Ito supposedly simula May 16 dapat mag-operate ang golf courses, kaya lang nagkaroon ng problema sa omnibus guidelines na ang golf nagpunta sa MGCQ. Kaya nagusap-usap kami ng IATF officials na payagan na at babaguhin na lang omnibus resolutions kaagad,” he said.
(Supposedly starting May 16 golf courses should operate, however, there was a problem in the omnibus guidelines for golf in MGCQ. So IATF officials discussed to let it open and just change the omnibus resolutions immediately.)
Año also said they will allow senior citizens to play golf provided that administrators of golf courses will come up with guidelines for senior golfers.
Under GCQ areas, there are limited movements but the government allowed almost all industries – up to 75 percent – to operate except those focusing on amusement and induce mass gathering.
