Salon urges DTI to expand allowed services under GCQ beyond haircuts

The owner of a hair salon chain on Monday appealed to the Department of Trade and Industry to allow salons to provide services other than haircuts, saying that they would not be enough to keep the business afloat.

“Sa totoo lang po, kung haircut lang po yung papayagan, hindi talaga kakayanin para mag-survive po ang salon," Festejo told GMA News.

"Kasi po kung haircut lang po, kulang pa po 'yon ipambayad sa rent namin. Lalo pa limited po 'yung chairs natin."

Festejo’s salon in Quezon City was one of several establishments inspected by the DTI on the morning of June 1, the first day of the general community quarantine in Metro Manila.

Metro Manila's quarantine status was downgraded from the more strict modified enhanced community quarantine it had been in the last two weeks against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DTI has only allowed salons and barbershops to offer haircuts once they are allowed to reopen on June 7.

Festejo said she’d rather keep her salons closed if they will only be allowed to offer haircuts.

The DTI, however, said such a request may not be accommodated yet, while salon owners and clients are getting used to the “new normal.”

"For now, haircut lang talaga kasi 'yon 'yung extremely essential na for most of us," DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo told reporters during the inspection.

"'Yung mga other aesthetic services kagaya ng hair color, treatment, wax, hindi pa muna. Kanina sinabi natin, hanggang masanay yung mga salons at saka yung mga customers nila sa bagong protocols natin in the new normal. And then we’ll see later on when we can expand the services."

Castelo also said the DTI cannot control the rates charged for haircut services.

“Yung services, hindi naman controlled kasi yung presyo niyan. But we, of course, also appeal both to consumer and business. Sa panahon ngayon, kailangan nating mag-bayanihan. So kung magtaas man nang bahagya yung mga establishments na ganito, pagbigyan na rin natin. Pero hindi rin naman yung sobra-sobrang taas na alam natin kung gaano kalayo na from the previous price,” she explained.

Hair salons and barber shops in GCQ areas will be required to strictly implement health and safety protocols set by the government.

The two hair salons and one barbershop inspected by the DTI showed many of the health and safety protocols already in place.

The three establishments showed the DTI that they had footbaths, disinfectants, checklists for symptoms and contact tracing, and masks in place.

Employees will wear personal protective equipment such as masks, face shields, gloves and overalls, while capes and equipment will be disinfected.

Establishments that will fail to comply will remain closed.

“Siguro pagka talagang deliberate na 'yung kanilang failure to comply or talagang sinasadya na o talagang ayaw, it will fall under violation of the Bayanihan We Heal as One Act. Pero pagbibigyan muna natin sila as much as possible para maka-comply,” Castelo said.

Violators will face a two-month imprisonment and will be fined from P10,000 to P1 million.

To ensure compliance, the DTI and the Department of Health will conduct regular inspections.

Citizens may also complain to the DTI. — BM, GMA News