Workshops, trainings, seminars now allowed in GCQ areas —Palace

The government has allowed the conduct of workshops, trainings, seminars, and other related events in areas under general community quarantine (BI), which include Metro Manila, at up to 30% capacity.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday said this was agreed upon during the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) — the government's policy-making body in COVID-19 response — on Thursday.

Aside from Metro Manila, under GCQ until the end of the year are Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan and Davao City, while the rest of the country are under modified GCQ.

Aside from workshops, trainings and seminars, also allowed with up to 30% capacity are congresses, conferences, board meetings, colloquia, conclaves, symposia, and consumer trade shows.

"The abovementioned events must be held in venues in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and will be permitted up to 30% venue capacity," Roque said.

The venues, he said, include restaurants, in general; restaurants attached to hotels; ballrooms and function halls within hotels; venues within hotel premises; and mall atria.

The IATF instructed the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to jointly issue the necessary guidelines.

StaySafe.ph

Meanwhile, Roque said also adopted during the IATF meeting is the recommendation of the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat to implement the Safety Seal Certification Program in addition to StaySafe.ph.

"All establishments, such as government offices, private companies, hotels and business establishments and public transportation units are thus required to adopt the Safety Seal," Roque said.

The IATF directed the DTI, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), DOT, and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) directed to issue the necessary joint memorandum circular to detail the requirements to secure a Safety Seal, which include the adoption of the Stay Safe application and the generation of its QR Code to be displayed in all entrances. —KBK, GMA News