(Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Monday assured enough supply of food and essential goods during the period of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
DTI Undersecretary Ireneo Vizmonte on Monday said the agency had asked the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to allow the full operational capacity of food manufacturers and establishments involved in food production.
“Kaya po natin hiniling sa IATF na payagan at 100 percent yun pong mga food manufacturer or establishments na involved sa any paggawa or activity na gumagawa ng pagkain, gusto po nating masigurado na ang shelves po ng mga supermarkets, public markets, yung mga tindahan ay merong enough supply, particularly po ng pagkain at mga essential products,” Vizmonte said during a Laging Handa press briefing.
(We asked the IATF to allow that food manufacturers and establishments involved in food production to operate at 100 percent capacity because we want to ensure that there is enough supply of food and essential goods i supermarkets, public markets and other stores.)
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“So maaasahan po natin na yan po ay magiging available during the period of ECQ,” he added.
(So the public can expect that food and essential goods will be available during the ECQ period)
Over the weekend, Malacañang announced that Metro Manila and four adjacent provinces — Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna — will be placed back under ECQ from March 29 to April 4 due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases.