Other services in salons, barbers to resume soon

BARBERSHOPS AND  salons operating in places under general community quarantine (GCQ) will soon be allowed to resume other services apart from haircuts, Malacañang said on Friday.   

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), in its Resolution 51 approved Thursday, decided to lift its restrictions on the resumption of partial operations of barbershops and salons.

During the Laging Handa program, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the IATF-EID removed the clause included in the guidelines for the nationwide community quarantine, which states that the grooming services of salons and barbershops would be “limited to basic haircutting services.”

“Tinanggal na po ang clause na ‘limited to basic haircutting services’ para sa barber at salon sa guidelines sa mga lugar na nasa GCQ (The clause ‘limited to basic haircutting services’ for barbershops and salons included in the guidelines for areas under GCQ has been omitted),” said Roque, also acting as IATF-EID spokesperson.

In May, the IATF-EID allowed the partial reopening of barbershops and hair salons on June 7, on condition that would only offer haircuts to their customers.

Other treatments like waxing, shaving, eyelash extensions, as well as manicure and pedicure services, were prohibited.

Roque said other services are now considered allowed “in principle.”

Roque, however, said the Department of Trade and Industry needs to first issue guidelines that will govern the gradual resumption of other services normally provided by barbershops and salons.

He added that minimum public health standards must be observed.

“Huwag na po muna kayong maging excited diyan. Maglalabas na po muna ang DTI ng guidelines para sa unti-unting pagbalik ng mga serbisyo na ibinibigay ng mga ganitong establishment (Do not get excited. DTI will have to issue guidelines fist for the resumption of these services provided by these establishments),” Roque said.

From July 1 to 15, GCQ was imposed in Metro Manila, Benguet, Cavite, Rizal, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Ormoc, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Cebu’s Talisay City, Minglanilla, and Consolacion. (By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)