Businesses / Services allowed to operate in areas under ECQ/ GCQ




The Philippines released the list of activities and businesses that are allowed to operate in quarantine areas (ECQ / GCQ).
President Rodrigo Duterte extended the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period in Metro Manila and high-risk areas to May 15. All other areas will be placed under general community quarantine or GCQ from May 1.
Below is the list of businesses that are allowed to operate during both ECQ and GCQ according to Malacañang:

  • Agriculture and fisheries and the entire value chain including manufacturing of feeds, fertilizers, and pesticides 
  • Manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and the entire value chain (raw materials, inputs, including packaging) of basic food products, essential products, medicines, and medical supplies
  • Hospitals and medical clinics 
  • Dental and EENT clinics (with strict health standards)
  • Retail establishments (groceries, supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, public markets, pharmacies, and drug stores) 
  • Food preparations and water refilling stations
  • Logistics service providers (cargo handling, warehousing, trucking, freight forwarding, and shipping line) 
  • Delivery services, whether or not e-commerce platform, in-house or outsourced, transporting only food, water, medicine, pet food, hardware products or other basic necessities 
  • Delivery services, whether or not e-commerce platform, in-house or outsourced, for products such as clothing and accessories and office supplies 
  • Banks and capital markets 
  • Power, energy, water, IT and telecommunications supplies and facilities, waste disposal services and technical services to above utilities 
  • Electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply 
  • Postal and courier activities
  • Water collection, treatment, and supply 
  • Waste collection, treatment, and disposal activities except materials recovery ( junk shop) 
  • Sewerage (except emptying of septic tanks) 
  • Veterinary activities 
  • Repair and installation of machinery and equipment 
  • Repair of computers and personal household goods 
  • Services to buildings and landscape activities (except landscape care) 
  • Employment activities (manpower services for essential activities) 
  • Security and investigation activities 
  • Programming and broadcasting activities 
  • Rental and leasing activities (except for entertainment/mass gathering purposes) 
  • Accommodation (used as quarantine facilities for overseas Filipino workers and overseas Filipinos, as well as temporary accommodation for essential industries such as healthcare facilities, banks, BPOs, exporters and other frontline service sectors) 
  • Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas 
  • Gasoline stations 
  • Laundry shops (including self-service) 
  • Funeral services 
  • Export companies (with temporary accommodation and shuttle services; work from home arrangements) 
  • Business process outsourcing companies (with temporary accommodation and shuttle services;  work from home arrangements) 
  • Mining and quarrying

Sectors not allowed during ECQ but allowed during GCQ
  • Other manufacturing activities:
    • Beverages (non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks)
    • Cement and steel
    • Electrical machinery
    • Wood products, furniture
    • Non-metallic products
    • Textile/wearing apparels
    • Tobacco products
    • Paper and paper products
    • Rubber and plastic products
    • Coke and refined petroleum products
    • Other non-metallic mineral products
    • Computer, electronic and optical products
    • Electrical equipment
    • Machinery and equipment
    • Motor vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers
    • Other transport equipment
  • Malls and commercial centers (including hardware stores, clothing, and accessories and non-leisure stores) 
  • Barbershops, salons, spas, and other personal care industries (with strict health standards) 
  • Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 
  • Construction and Build, Build, Build activities 
  • Forestry and logging 
  • Publishing activities 
  • Motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing activities 
  • Advertising and market research 
  • Real estate activities (except real estate buying and selling) 
  • Office administrative, office support and other business activities 
  • Legal and accounting 
  • Insurance, reinsurance, and pension funding except for compulsory social security 
  • Architecture and engineering activities, technical testing and analysis 
  • Scientific and research development 
  • Other professional, scientific and technical activities 
  • Social work activities without accommodation 
  • Government office (frontline offices)

The IATF has also approved universities and colleges to operate under skeletal workforce by May 4 in these areas, but only to formally conclude Academic Year 2019-2020, issue credentials to students, and prepare for "flexible learning arrangements" for the next school year.
These sectors and activities remain prohibited during ECQ and GCQ:
  • Mass gatherings 
  • Gyms/fitness studios and sports facilities 
  • Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities 
  • Travel agency, tour operator, reservation service and related activities 
  • Gambling and betting activities 
  • Activities of membership organizations

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