DTI Sec. Lopez asks businesses to test employees for COVID-19 before resuming ops

Businesses should have their employees undergo testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) before they are allowed to go back to work and resume their operations, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Sunday.

Lopez made the remark as the enhanced community quarantine will soon be lifted in some areas in the country and these areas will be placed under a general community quarantine instead.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview, Lopez said such a move will allow private companies to help in the mass testing initiatives of the government to help stop the further spread of COVID-19.

"Para maiwasan ang transmission sa kanilang operation, bago nila papasukin 'yung mga empleyado nila, magte-testing sila, 'yung PCR testing, 'yung gold standard para malaman nila sino ang puwedeng pumasok, sino ang hindi," he said.

"As they do this, magkakatulungan din sa paggawa ng mass testing. In other words, makakatulong ang private sector sa pagte-test ng mga kababayan natin at maibsan din ang gusto ng gobyerno na mapataas ang ating testing capacity sa bawat araw," he added.

Lopez said that with the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine in some areas, some establishments and even those manufacturing companies whose operations were limited by the lockdown may now go back to business subject to strict health protocols.

"For example, ire-require 'yung bawat company sa kanilang operation, kapag nag-report lahat ng workers nila, kailangan parati at any given point in time at kahit saang lugar sa kanilang planta ay may social distancing, 'yung pagsuot ng mask, may sanitation station, parating may temperature scanning o kaya mga checkup," he said.

While many establishments may now open in areas under general community quarantine, those that are considered non-essential are still not allowed, including theaters and other entertainment centers, Lopez said.

"Sa ngayon, nakabukas naman 'yung ibang malls pagdating sa mga groceries, supermarkets, drugstores," he said.

"In the general community quarantine, puwede pang madagdagan ang puwedeng buksan tulad ng hardware, ng laundry services at 'yung iba pang kailangan din na ang tawag non-leisure, kunwari mga pananamit, mga ganung klaseng tindahan, puwede na ring buksan 'yun," he added.

The Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine was scheduled to end on April 30, but President Rodrigo Duterte recently extended the measure in some high-risk areas including the National Capital Region, Regions III and IV-A until May 15.

As of Saturday, there are a total of 7,294 cases of COVID-19 reported in the Philippines, with 494 deaths and 792 recoveries. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News