Malls in Cebu City may open under MECQ but…
Cebu’s North Reclamation Area is one of the places to go malling where popular malls SM City Cebu and Robinson’s Galleria located in the area. CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Malls may slowly start to open in Cebu City with the city’s quarantine status being downgraded to a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for July 16 to 31, 2020.
In Executive Order No. 84 signed by Mayor Edgardo Labella on July 16, 2020, the malls may open certain establishments like department stores, essential shops, clothing shops, infant care supplies, bookstores, and others.
Read more: Cebu City under MECQ until July 31
However, the shops can only operate at certain capacities with essential shops allowed to operate at full capacity while others can only operate up to 50 percent.
The mall can also be opened only up to 12 hours or within the curfew from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. This policy also applies to all establishments allowed to operate under the MECQ.
Meanwhile, tourist destinations such as water parks, reservation services and related services; entertainment industries such as cinemas, theaters, and karaoke bars; kid amusement industries such as playroom and kiddie rides; libraries, archives, museums, cultural centers and internet cafes; gyms, fitness studios and sports facilities; and personal care services such as massage parlors, sauna, facial care and waxing are still not allowed to operate.
There is little difference in the guidelines of Cebu City under the MECQ compared to the Enhanced Community Quarantine as most guidelines are maintained.
Read more: Augmented police forces to stay in Cebu City’s MECQ
The use of the QR coded passes and its coding remains, the Carbon Market schedule remains, and the Stay-At-Home Sundays will also remain.
Public gathering is still prohibited under the MECQ, but religious gathering may push through as long as only up to five people are gathered.
The liquor ban is also maintained in public places, while restaurants can only operate for take-outs and deliveries.
Read full EO here: Executive-Order-No.-084
Mayor Edgardo Labella said the downgrade to MECQ was a sign that the city was improving in its COVID-19 situation as the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) had slowly eased the restriction in the city.
“The move to MECQ recognizes how our community efforts have yielded a positive response. We, at the Cebu City Government, will continue to extend our utmost efforts to contain this disease. The move to MECQ does not mean that we should let our guards down. Let us continue to keep in mind our important individual contribution to protecting our community: wear a mask, stay at home, and observe physical distancing if you need to go out for essential tasks,” said the mayor.
Labella urged the public to remain vigilant and follow the protocols even under the MECQ./dbs
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