Reopening of cinemas in GCQ areas rescheduled for March 1 —Palace

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MANILA, Philippines — The reopening of cinemas in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) has been reset to March 1, Malacañang said Monday, citing the need to craft guidelines for its implementation.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced this after Metro Manila mayors expressed health concerns and deferred the reopening of cinemas in the capital region.

“Ngayon po, ang status nito, ang pagpapatupad po ng pagbubukas ng sinehan kung matutuloy po ay Marso 1,” Roque said in an online Palace briefing.

(Now, its status is that its implementation will be on March 1.)

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) last week allowed the reopening of cinemas and other business establishments/sites in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ).

Roque said this was the result of talks with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos, MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

“Kinakailangan po ipagpatuloy ang consultations at kinakailangan po bumuo ng guidelines ang mga lokal na pamahalaan bago po mabuksan ang mga sinehan. Sana po malinaw ito,” he added.

(There is a need to continue consultations and craft guidelines before we reopen cinemas. I hope this is clear.)

Roque also said the IATF respects the Metro Manila mayors’ reservations on the reopening of cinemas.
The Palace official, however, noted that local government units may reopen cinemas before March as long as they have crafted the operational guidelines.

“So kung ang mga LGUs po ay nag-issue na ng guidelines, wala pong hadlang para sila ay magbukas,” he said.

(If LGUs have already issued guidelines, there’s no reason for them not to reopen.)

Roque had justified the decision to reopen more businesses, saying it would allow more Filipinos to return to work.

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