Gov't mulling accreditation system for barbershops amid quarantine -Palace

The government is formulating a system of accreditation that would allow barbershops to reopen even amid the community quarantine being implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday.

Interviewed on Unang Hirit, Roque said whether or not to allow barbershops to reopen has been a contentious issue during meetings of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

"Alam niyo po siguro mga 25 hours na ang nagugol dito sa usaping barbero at sa totoo lang bumalentong na ang IATF diyan. Pumayag, binawi. Alam niyo naman po iyan, parang issue ng religious gatherings," he said.

Roque said owners of large barbershops had presented to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez a system on how they would conduct business with health protocols in place, and that the IATF is set to discuss this in the coming meetings.

"Sa tingin ko parang may nabubuo nang consensus na baka payagan na," he said, adding the consensus so far is pointing toward coming up with a system of accreditation for barbershops.

"Baka papayagan na pero magkakaroon ng sistema of accreditation. Yung mga barbero lamang na merong pamamaraan na makapag-ingat sa COVID ang puwede magbukas," he said.

Roque, meanwhile, reiterated that barbershops are not among the businesses allowed to open under the general community quarantine, which will be implemeted in Metro Manila starting June 1. --KBK, GMA News