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While Metro Manila has started opening public establishments including malls and restaurants, guidelines are still being finalized for the new normal.

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The Department of Tourism (DOT) released a set of policies for DOT-accredited restaurants including those inside hotels and resorts.

Some of the new guidelines include wearing face masks and the prohibition of buffets and self-service food stations. It also includes a set of safety precautionary measures for restaurant owners, employees, and customers.

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For employees and restaurant staff, monitoring of body temperature is required before every work shift. "The restaurant proprietor must ensure the monitoring of body temperature of all employees every time they report to work."

They are also required to wear Food Safety Apparel (FSA) such as apron, gloves, face masks, face shields, and shoe covers. "The restaurant proprietor must provide all its employees with at least the following Food Safety Apparel while they are on duty," the guidelines state.

For customers, there shall be a no-mask-no-entry policy along with mandatory temperature checked prior to entry, "Customers not wearing masks shall not be allowed to enter the restaurant."

Contact details as well as a health declaration form shall also be provided by dining customers for contact tracing purposes. "Customers shall provide their names and contact details in a contact-tracing log sheet to be provided by restaurant personnel should the necessity for contact-tracing arises."

A cashless payment or pay-as-you-order method of payment shall also be encouraged."Cashless methods of payment with the use of money transfer applications are highly encouraged.

"If not viable, employees shall hand and receive cash on a small tray to avoid mutual hand contact with customers."

A restaurant's seating capacity should allow at least one meter spacing between customers. Face-to-face seating in tables will only be allowed when transparent dividers (e.g. acrylic plastic, plexiglass, sneeze guards, etc.) are installed.

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Self-service food stations such as do-it-yourself customer re-filling and condiment stations as well as buffet service and salad bars shall be prohibited.

Check out the guideline below:

Currently, Metro Manila and other areas within Luzon are under a general community quarantine (GCQ) with partial operation of public utility vehicles and partial opening of public establishments.

People are still encouraged to stay home and wear face masks when leaving the house.

As of June 10, the Department of Health has reported 22,992 total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines with 4,736 and 1,017 deaths.

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