Included in logistics services are cargo handling, warehousing, trucking, freight forwarding, and shipping lines. Reopening of delivery services, whether or not catering to e-commerce, in-house or outsourced, transporting only food, water, medicine, pet food, hardware products or other basic necessities, is also proposed.
Logistics service providers are currently operating on a limited scale due to the ECQ but sector employees are already included in the Authorized Persons Outside Residence or persons allowed to travel for work to ensure continuous movement of cargoes.
READ: More logistics staff exempt from ECQ travel restrictions
The list proposed by DTI will be finalized in the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF) meeting on April 29, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. said in an online press briefing on April 28.
“Hindi pa pormal na naaprubahan pero ito po ay meron nang consensus. Ito na talaga ‘yan at mabuti nang mabigyan ng advance notice, bagamat sa susunod na briefing, titingnan pa natin kung meron pang magbabago (The list hasn’t been formally approved but there’s consensus. I think that’s it and it’s good we’re giving advance notice. In the next briefing, let’s see if there are changes),” Roque said.
President Rodrigo Duterte recently approved the IATF’s recommendation to extend the ECQ in high-risk areas, including the National Capital Region, until May 15. Moderate-risk areas are under GCQ also until May 15.
READ: Enhanced community quarantine extended until May 15
Other businesses proposed to be allowed to operate in areas under ECQ and GCQ are:
- agriculture: agriculture and fisheries and its entire value chain, including manufacturing of feeds, fertilizers and pesticides
- manufacturing and processing plants and the entire value chain (raw materials, inputs, and packaging) of basic good products, essential products, medicine and medical supplies: all food; soap, detergents, shampoo, conditioners, diapers, feminine hygiene products, tissue, wipes, toilet papers, disinfectants; medicines and vitamins; PPEs, masks, gloves, others; pet food
- hospitals and medical clinics
- dental and EENT (eye, ear, nose, throat) clinics with strict health standards
- retail establishments: groceries, supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, public markets, pharmacies, drug stores
- food preparations and water refilling stations
- delivery services whether or not e-commerce platforms: in-house or outsourced, transporting only food, water, medicine, pet food, hardware products, or other basic necessities; and for other products such as clothing and accessories, and office supplies
- banks and financial markets
- power, energy water, IT and telecommunications supplies and facilities, waste disposal services, and technical services to above utilities
- electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
- postal and courier services
- water collection, treatment and supply
- waste collection, treatment and disposal activities, except materials recovery (junk shops)
- sewerage, except emptying of septic tanks
- veterinary activities
- repair and installation of machinery and equipment
- repair of computers and personal and household goods
- services to buildings and landscape activities, except landscape care
- employment activities, manpower services for essential activities
- security and investigation activities
- programming and broadcasting activities
- rental and leasing, except for entertainment or mass gathering purposes
- accommodation: buildings used as quarantine facilities for returning overseas Filipinos, and for temporary accommodation of workers in essential industries like healthcare facilities, banks, BPOs, exporters, and other frontline service sectors
- extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas
- gasoline stations
- laundry shops, including self-service machines
- funeral services
- export companies with temporary accommodation and shuttle services for on-site workers or work-from-home arrangements
- business process outsourcing companies with temporary accommodation and shuttle services for on-site workers or work-from-home arrangements
- mining and quarrying
Meanwhile, businesses to be allowed only in areas under GCQ include:
- other manufacturing activities involving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; cement and steel; electrical machinery; wood products; furniture; non-metallic products; textiles or wearing apparels; tobacco products; paper and paper products; coke and refined petroleum products; other non-metallic mineral products; computer, electronic and optical products; electrical equipment; machinery equipment; motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers; other transport equipment; and others
- malls and commercial centers: hardware stores, clothing and accessories, and non-leisure stores
- barbershops, salon, spas, and other personal care industries with strict health standards
- wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
- construction
- forestry and logging
- publishing activities
- motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing activities
- advertising and market research
- real estate activities, except buying and selling
- office administrative, office support, and other business activities
- legal and accounting
- insurance, reinsurance, and pension funding, except compulsory social security
- architecture and engineering activities, technical testing and analysis
- scientific and research development
- other professional, scientific and technical activities
- social work activities without accommodation
- government frontline offices: all offices will be allowed to open
