Palace: ‘Essential’ public, private construction works now OK in areas under ECQ

MANILA, Philippines—Construction and infrastructure projects that are considered essential are now allowed in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), according to Malacañang.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in a virtual briefing Saturday said the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines has been amended to allow private and public construction firms to operate on essential projects amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roque listed down construction projects for quarantine and isolation facilities, as well as facilities for construction personnel who perform emergency works, flood control, and other disaster risk reduction and rehabilitation programs, sewerage projects, water service facility projects, and digital works as among those allowed under the amendment.

“‘Yung priority public infrastructure projects, as well as priority private infrastructure projects defined as those that refer to food production, agriculture, fishery, fish port development, energy, housing, communication, water facilities, manufacturing, and business process outsourcing, shall likewise be allowed in accordance to guidelines issued by the WHO [World Health Organization],” he noted.

Roque added that construction workers accredited by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are now allowed to return to their respective jobs in areas under ECQ.

“Pinayagan din po ang ilang construction projects sa general community quarantine. Ang general rule po, lahat po ng public and private construction projects ay pupwede na sa mga lugar na GCQ pero kinakailangan po kumo-comply dun sa mga construction safety guidelines para sa implementation ng infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he stressed.

(Construction projects are now also allowed to continue in areas under general community quarantine. The general rule is that  all public and private construction projects are now allowed in areas under the GCQ, but they need to comply with construction safety guidelines on the implementation of infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.)

/MUF