Businesses can resume operations on May 16, according to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas. However, there will still be regulations to follow – and businesses such as bars, cockpits, cinemas, and spas are still not allowed to open.
“There is no other way to sustain our being the region’s center of commerce and industry than by reopening businesses. Doing so would stimulate our economy. The resumption of business operations would give employment to our people,” states Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, in an article by Panay News.
Treñas also said that he will be issuing an executive order detailing the guidelines.
It can be recalled that just yesterday, Iloilo City, alongside Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Bacolod City, were classified as low-risk provinces and shall no longer be under Community Quarantine starting May 16 – this is according to IATF Resolution No. 35 relayed by Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque, Jr. for the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) at the New Executive Building (NEB) of Malacañang.
However, after a day, the decision was recalled and authorities clarified that ‘low risk’ areas shall be placed under modified general community quarantine. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año initiated an amendment to the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) enforcing different types of lockdown in different areas in the country – and that ‘low risk’ areas should be put under ‘Modified ECQ’.
Moreover, just today (May 14), Presidential Spokesperson declared that all areas – with the exception of the National Capital Region, Laguna, and Cebu City – will be placed under General Community Quarantine.
