Bars, movie houses, other entertainment joints given a go in Puerto Princesa

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—The entertainment business in this city has been allowed to resume operations as the province of Palawan eased anti-coronavirus lockdowns to a classification that authorities call modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) starting on Monday (June 1).

Lawyer Arnel Pedrosa, the city administrator, said on Monday that bars, movie houses and other entertainment facilities were now allowed to open for business.

But Pedrosa said the businesses should heed a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and social distancing rules.

He said that Executive Order No. 2020-29, issued by Mayor Lucilo Bayron last May 29, superseded earlier orders that ban the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks.

The city council, however, still has to decide on the mayor’s order, according to Pedrosa.

Some owners of entertainment outlets welcomed the relaxed rules that allow them to resume operations and vowed to be strict in complying with protocols set by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Rules issued by the DTI for reopening businesses allowed businesses under Category 4 Industries to resume operations at 50 percent capacity.

Outlets were also ordered to enforce health protocols—wearing masks, regular disinfection of utensils and facilities and distancing between customers.

Edited by TSB