Local government units in Negros Oriental are given the discretion to decide whether or not to allow indoor and outdoor dining services in their areas while the province is placed under the modified enhanced community quarantine.
Capitol information officer Bimbo Miraflor said yesterday that this is based on the latest Omnibus Guidelines for areas placed under MECQ as set by the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and following the Department of Tourism’s Administrative Order No. 2021-004.
Miraflor made the clarifications due to public clamor that while many restaurants and other similar establishments, including eateries in Dumaguete were totally closed to dine-in or indoor dining, those in other areas outside of the capital were doing otherwise.
Under the said guidelines, Miraflor said “accommodation establishments and restaurants are allowed to have dine-in services at 10 percent capacity and al fresco dining at 50 percent capacity”.
He said that the Executive Order No. 20-2021 signed by Gov. Roel Degamo, however, is still in effect.
“This means that LGUs through their local chief executives are given discretionary power under the same EO to allow or not to allow dine-in and al fresco (dine-out) services in their respective localities,” he said.
“Notwithstanding compliance with the foregoing guidelines, operations of accommodation establishments shall be subject to applicable stricter restrictions, rules, or ordinances of the LGU where the establishments are located, provided that such rules or ordinances shall not disregard the minimum restrictions and minimum public health standards imposed under these guidelines or by the IATF-EID and the Department of Health,” Miraflor added.
Negros Oriental was first placed under MECQ on June 16-30 because of the surge of cases of coronavirus disease 2019, and the quarantine restriction was extended July 1 to 15.*PNA
