Roque Enumerates Industries Permitted to Operate Under NCR Plus ECQ

On Saturday, March 27, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque enumerates the industries allowed to operate during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the Greater Manila Area in the Philippines. 

Metro Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal were placed under ECQ on Monday, March 29, until April 4. Such areas are dubbed as the Greater Manila Area or NCR Plus. 

According to Roque, the Malacanang allowed the following industries to operate fully:

• Public and private hospitals
• Health, emergency, and frontline services
• Manufacturers of medicines, medical supplies, devices, and equipment
• Delivery and courier services, transporting food, medicine, or other essential goods
• Agriculture, forestry, and fishery and their workers, including farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, fisherfolk, and agri-fishery stores

The industries permitted to operate at 50% capacity are:

• Private establishments (essential goods and services)
• Media establishments and their total permanent staff complement
• Workers accredited by the Department of Transportation

And the following are only allowed to operate under skeletal workforce:

• Other medical, dental, rehabilitation, optometry clinics, pharmacies, or drug stores
• Veterinary clinics
• Banks and money transfer services
• Telecommunications companies, internet service providers, and cable television providers
• Manufacturing companies and suppliers (construction works, such as cement and steel)
• Funeral and embalming services
• Security personnel
• Real estate activities limited to leasing only
• Capital markets
• Water supply and sanitation services and facilities
• Energy and power companies
• Airline and aircraft maintenance, pilots and crew, and employees
• The Philippine Postal Corporation (PCC), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), business process outsourcing firms, export businesses, and printing presses
• Humanitarian assistance personnel from civil society organizations, non-government organizations, and United Nations-Humanitarian country teams
• Pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, or such other religious ministers
• Repair and maintenance of machinery and equipment

Additionally, Roque stated that only essential stores in malls will be allowed to open such as pharmacies, groceries, and hardware stores. 

As of March 29, the Philippines has recorded 10,010 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing its total to 115,495 active cases.