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Parañaque City launches safety seal certification

By Lade Jean Kabagani

May 26, 2021, 8:20 pm

<p><strong>SAFETY SEAL CERTIFICATION</strong>. Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez speaks at the launching of Safety Seal Certification on Wednesday (May 26, 2021) in SM Mall Sucat. Olivarez said the safety seal will also help the city government to slowly open the economy "without sacrificing our health protocols." <em>(Photo courtesy of Parañaque PIO)</em></p>

SAFETY SEAL CERTIFICATION. Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez speaks at the launching of Safety Seal Certification on Wednesday (May 26, 2021) in SM Mall Sucat. Olivarez said the safety seal will also help the city government to slowly open the economy "without sacrificing our health protocols." (Photo courtesy of Parañaque PIO)

MANILA—To increase consumer confidence amid the prevailing health crisis, the Parañaque city government has officially launched its safety seal certification program on Wednesday.

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected the city's socio-economic activities, particularly the thriving businesses and the livelihood of the residents.

"Ang ating ekonomiya ay hirap na hirap na po at dahil po sa pandemyang ito, marami pong kababayan natin ang nawalan ng trabaho (Our economy is already struggling and because of this pandemic, many of our countrymen have lost their jobs)," Olivarez said during the city government's first onsite inspection at the SM Mall Sucat, one of the recipients of Safety Seal certification.

As the government gradually opens the economy, Olivarez said the Safety Seal will guarantee the public that all commercial establishments within Parañaque are compliant with the government's health protocols and other preventive measures to stop Covid-19 transmission.

“The local government is committed to requiring all business establishments to comply with the minimum public health standards as we increase the operating capacity to help them recover in this pandemic. SM Mall Sucat is just the first in Parañaque to receive the Safety Seal,” he said.

The city government, through the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 21-01, is mandated to create a Safety Seal Certification Committee that shall serve as the issuing authority for the registered business establishments that wish to be inspected and verified with Safety Seal.

Olivarez said the business establishments under the supervision of the city government, must comply with the eligibility and compliance requirements valid for six months.

The certification can be renewed, revoked, or reinstated based on the findings of the committee.

This, he said, will likewise provide opportunities to the businesses to gradually increase their operating capacity provided that they will strictly comply with the health guidelines.

Olivarez said the safety seal will also help the city government to slowly open the economy "without sacrificing our health protocols."

The city government, led by Olivarez, was joined by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya during the awarding of safety seal certificate to the SM Mall Sucat.

Lopez lauded the city government for pushing the initiative to certify business establishments with the Safety Seal.

"This is in line with the government’s effort to build business and consumer confidence in this community quarantine," Lopez said.

Malaya, meanwhile, reminded the LGUs of a checklist of requirements for the business establishments.

He also noted that the use of StaySafe.ph application "must be a mandatory procedure for all registered businesses before they entertain consumers for contact tracing purposes only."

Parañaque's Safety Seal Committee is composed of the city's Business Permit and Licensing Office, City Health Office, the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, the Public Information Office, and the Philippine National Police.

The committee is tasked to conduct regular inspection and post safety seal standards with the details of compliance, which shall be made available to transacting customers.

The StaySafe.ph is developed to improve the country's pandemic response. (PNA)

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