MANILA, Philippines — The operation of restaurants’ dine-in services has been extended until 9 p.m. as government eased curfew hours despite the surge of coronavirus cases in the country.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the decision to stretch the operating hours of dine-in services was reached after community quarantine curfew hours were adjusted from the previous 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, to 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
“Hinabaan pa po ang pagkain sa mga restaurant hanggang 9 o’clock ng evening (Dine-in services of restaurants is allowed until 9 o’clock in the evening),” Roque said in televised a Palace press briefing Tuesday.
Restaurants and other food establishments in areas under general community quarantine are allowed to operate their dine-in services up to 30 percent of store capacity while those in modified GCQ areas can operate up to 50 percent store capacity.
Restaurants and customers are required to observe physical distancing, wearing of face masks and other public health standards imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
To date, there are 30,682 COVID-19 cases nationwide, including 8,143 recoveries and 1,177 deaths.
Less restrictive coronavirus lockdowns have been maintained nationwide except for Cebu City which is placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and Talisay City which is now under modified ECQ due to high transmission rate, and the increasing demand for critical care.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila–the country’s economic center–is currently under general community quarantine and remains to be the epicenter of the contagion in the country with 15,470 cases or over 50 percent of the total cases nationwide.