IATF-EID okays dine-in services of restaurants, bars until 9 p.m.

RESTAURANTS, CAKES, and bars are now allowed to offer dine-in services until 9 p.m., Malacañang announced on Tuesday.  

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has further relaxed restrictions for food establishments to allow the public to dine in restaurants for a longer period of time.

The IATF-EID made the decision after the community quarantine curfew hours were adjusted from the previous 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., Roque said in a virtual press briefing aired on state-run PTV-4.

“Hinabaan pa po ‘yung pagkain sa mga restaurant hanggang 9 o’clock in the evening kasi nga po ang curfew eh binago na rin mula 10 to 5 na po (Dining in restaurants is allowed until 9 o’clock in the evening because the curfew has been changed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.),” Roque said.

The IATF-EID’s decision was contained in Resolution 48 approved on Monday.

The latest move came as the government seeks to reopen the economy to help the Filipinos cope with the crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Under the said resolution, restaurants, cafes, and bars are allowed to operate at 30 percent capacity, provided that the venue capacity allows for social distancing protocols.

Dine-in restaurants must also comply with the proper protocols prescribed by the Department of Trade and Industry, according to the new resolution.

Restaurants located in clubhouses and similar establishments can also offer dine-in services until 9 p.m., the IATF-EID’s resolution read.

On June 10, the IATF-EID approved Resolution 45, which allows dine-in restaurants in areas placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) to operate at 30 percent capacity.

For areas under modified GCQ (MGCQ), food establishments can resume dine-in operations at 50 percent capacity.

Only Cebu City was placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the most stringent community quarantine, until June 30.

On the other hand, MECQ was imposed in Talisay City but later downgraded to GCQ following the appeal of city officials.

GCQ remains in effect in Metro Manila; the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Tarlac, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor; and the cities of Santiago, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Zamboanga, and Davao.

The rest of the country is now under MGCQ. (By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)