What businesses, activities are allowed under new COVID-19 alert level system?

A tarpaulin poster reminding the public to wear face masks is installed at the busy corner of Quezon Avenue and Agham Road in Quezon City. With COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila remains high, the Department of Health says people should not be complacent and continue observing minimum health and safety protocols. This photo was taken in June 2021. (File photo by NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases released on Monday a list of businesses establishments and activities that will be allowed in Metro Manila once its local government units start the pilot run on of granular lockdowns and new alert level system on Sept. 16.

READ: Metro Manila to start pilot run of new COVID-19 alert level system on Sept. 16 

Under the new alert system, determining which activities are allowed will depend on the so-called 3Cs: Will the activity be conducted in areas that are closed, crowded, or will allow close contact?

Here’s the list classified under the alert levels, from the most lenient to the strictest:

Alert Level 1

All persons may engage in all activities and establishments may operate at full capacity — provided that they follow minimum public health standards. The exceptions are those in areas under a granular lockdown.

Alert Level 2

The following establishments or activities are allowed to operate at a maximum of 50 percent on-site or venue capacity (except for those in areas under a granular lockdown):

• indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits
• indoor venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, events (MICE)
• indoor entertainment venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters, and cinemas
• amusement parks or theme parks, fairs (peryas), kid amusement venues such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie ride places
• indoor recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues
• indoor limited face to face or in-person classes, examinations, and other education-related activities at all levels
• casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments
• in-person religious gatherings
• gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19
• social events such as, but not limited to, concerts and parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debut and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal or baby showers, and gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household
• indoor dine-in services of food preparation establishments such as commissaries, restaurants, and eateries
• indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools
• personal care services which include beauty salons, beauty parlors, medical aesthetic clinics, cosmetic or derma clinics, make-up salons, nail spas, reflexology, aesthetics, wellness, and holistic centers, and other similar establishments; acupuncture and electrocautery establishments, and massage therapy including sports therapy establishments

Other establishments or activities in areas not included in the list above and are not covered by granular lockdowns may operate at 100% on-site or venue/seating capacity provided minimum public health standards are adhered to.

Alert Level 3

The following businesses and activities are allowed at a maximum of 30 percent on-site or venue capacity (except for those in areas under a granular lockdown):

• indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits
• indoor venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, events (MICE)
• indoor recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues
• indoor face to face or in-person examinations approved by the IATF
• casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments
• in-person religious gatherings
• gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, and funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19
• social events such as but not limited to concerts and parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debut and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal or baby showers, motorcades, and gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household
• indoor dine-in services of food preparation establishments such as commissaries, restaurants, and eateries
• indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools
• personal care services which include beauty salons, beauty parlors, medical aesthetic clinics, cosmetic or derma clinics, make-up salons, nail spas, reflexology, aesthetics, wellness, and holistic centers, and other similar establishments; acupuncture and electrocautery establishments, and massage therapy including sports therapy establishments and establishments providing tanning services, body piercings, tattooing, and similar services

The operation of the following remain prohibited:

• indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, and venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, bars, clubs, concert halls, and theaters
• outdoor and indoor amusement parks or theme parks, fairs (peryas), kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie ride places

Other establishments or activities in areas not included in the list above and are not under granular lockdown may operate at 100 percent capacity on-site or venue/seating capacity provided minimum public health standards are followed.

Alert Level 4

The following establishments and activities are not allowed to operate:

• indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits
• indoor venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, events (MICE)
• indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, and venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, bars, clubs, concert halls, and theaters
• outdoor and indoor amusement parks or theme parks, fairs (peryas), kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie ride places
• indoor recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues
• indoor limited face to face or in-person classes, examinations, and other education-related activities at all levels, except those previously approved by the IATF and/or of the Office of the President
• casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments except as may be authorized by the IATF or the Office of the President
• social events such as but not limited to concerts and parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debut and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal or baby showers, parades, processions, motorcades, and gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household
• indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools
• all contact sports, except those conducted under a bubble-type setup as provided for under relevant guidelines adopted by the IATF, and approved by the LGU where such games shall be held
• personal care services, which include medical aesthetic clinics, cosmetic or derma clinics, make-up salons, reflexology, aesthetics, wellness, and holistic centers, and other similar establishments; acupuncture and electrocautery establishments, and massage therapy including sports therapy establishments and establishments providing tanning services, body piercings, tattooing, and similar services. Home service for these activities is also not permitted.
• specialized markets of the Department of Tourism such as Staycations

Outdoor dine-in services in restaurants and eateries are only allowed at 30 percent venue capacity. Indoor dine-in services are allowed to open at 10 percent capacity, but they may only cater to persons fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The IATF also noted that all workers of these establishments must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Further, LGUs may decrease the allowable capacity for these restaurants and eateries.

Personal care services limited to barbershops, hair spas, nail spas, and beauty salons are allowed at 30 percent capacity “if such services are conducted outdoors regardless of vaccination status.” But if these are indoor, the IATF said they may only operate at 10 percent capacity.

Clients must also wear face masks at all times and all employees should be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Regarding in-person religious gatherings, 30 percent venue capacity is allowed if conducted outdoors regardless of vaccination status. Only 10 percent capacity is allowed if conducted indoors, provided they may only accommodate persons fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The IATF noted pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, or other religious ministers and the assistants of these religious congregations must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must observe minimum public health standards.

Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 are allowed as long as it is limited to the immediate family members. The IATF did not mention the venue capacity allowed for these gatherings.

Alert Level 5

Since Alert Level 5 equates to the Enhanced community quarantine, the IATF said previously issued guidelines will be in effect.

Under the omnibus guidelines issued by the IATF last Aug. 25  for the implementation of community quarantine, only the following establishments and activities are allowed to operate at full capacity:

• public and private hospitals
• health, emergency, and frontline services, including those provided by dialysis centers, chemotherapy centers, HMOs, health insurance providers, disaster risk reduction management officers, and public safety officers, and the like
• manufacturers of medicines and vitamins, medical supplies, devices, and equipment, including suppliers of input, packaging, and distribution
• industries involved in agriculture (crops, fruits, vegetables, livestock, and poultry), forestry, fishery, and such other components of the food value chain and their workers, including farmers and fisherfolk
• logistics service providers (delivery and courier services; cargo handling; warehousing; trucking; freight forwarding; shipping, port and terminal operators and contractors and ancillary services (i.e. drivers, conductors, terminal workers)
• essential and priority construction projects, whether public or private, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) including contractors, subcontractors, and consultants of the Department of Transportation for the construction of Build Build Build flagship infrastructure projects
• manufacturing related to food and other essential goods such as but not limited to soap and detergents, diapers, personal hygiene products, toilet paper, and wet wipes, and disinfectants
• companies that manufacture, distribute, and/or supply equipment or products necessary to perform construction or maintenance works, such as cement and steel, or spare parts
• essential retail trade and service establishments such as public markets, supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies or drug stores, hardware, office supplies, bicycle shops, laundry shops, and water-refilling stations
• food preparation establishments such as kiosks, commissaries, restaurants, and eateries, but limited to take-out and delivery
• public and private financial service providers involved in the distribution of government grants and amelioration subsidies
• business process outsourcing establishments (BPOs), and export-oriented businesses, including mining and quarrying activities
• public transport providers and operators;

Media establishments may operate at 50 percent capacity.

The following, on the other hand, can operate at a skeleton workforce arrangement. The IATF did not specify a percentage for these sectors:

• dental, rehabilitation, optometry, and other medical clinics for the treatment of illness or injuries
• veterinary clinics
• banks, money transfer services, including pawnshops only insofar as performing money transfer functions, microfinance institutions, and credit cooperatives, including their armored vehicle services, if any
• capital markets, including but not limited to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Stock Exchange, Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp., Philippine Securities Settlement Corp., and Philippine Depository and Trust  Corp.
• water supply and janitorial/sanitation services and facilities, including waste disposal services, as well as property management and building utility services
• the energy sector (oil, gas, and power companies), their third-party contractors and service providers, including employees involved in electric transmission and distribution, electric power plant and line maintenance, electricity market and retail suppliers, as well as those involved in the exploration, operations, trading and delivery of coal, oil, crude or petroleum and by-products (gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas or LPG, jet oil, kerosene, lubricants), including gasoline stations, refineries, LPG stations, and depots or any kind of fuel used to produce power
• telecommunications companies, internet service providers, cable television providers, including those who perform indirect services such as the technical, sales, and other support personnel, as well as the employees of their third-party contractors doing sales, installation, maintenance, and repair works
• airline and aircraft maintenance, pilots and crew, and employees of aviation schools for purposes of the pilot’s recurrent training for flight proficiency and type rating using simulator facilities; and ship captains and crew, including shipyard operations and repair
• funeral and embalming services;
• security personnel licensed by the PNP – Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies
• printing establishments authorized by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and those contracted by other government agencies
• establishments engaged in repair and maintenance of machinery and equipment, for households and essential permitted establishments
• establishments engaged in repair and maintenance of motorized and non-motorized vehicles, including the sale of spare parts
• leasing of real and personal properties
• employment activities that involve the recruitment and placement for permitted sectors
• teachers, professors and other staff for purposes of conducting online/offline, and flexible classes, completion of grades, and processing of student credentials, requirements and documents
• lawyers only when required to provide on-site legal representation necessary to protect rights of persons, whether natural or juridical
• all other establishments, to the extent necessary for the buying and selling of consumer goods or services via the internet.

All other businesses, persons, or activities not included in this list will not be allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken on-site during ECQ.

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