MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has authorized the Philippine Racing Commission to carry out two more racing days beginning July 1, Malacañang said on Friday.
“The IATF allowed the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) two additional racing days beginning July 1, 2021,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who concurrently serves as IATF-EID spokesperson, said in a press statement.
However, the conduct of additional racing days is subject to “approved health and safety protocols and the use of fully functional contact tracing application of off-track betting stations,” Roque said.
On May 27, the IATF-EID approved Resolution 117, allowing the limited operations of off-track betting stations in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ (MGCQ).
Off-track betting stations may resume operations limited to the purpose of selling tickets only and subject to strict observance of minimum public health standards.
On May 6, the IATF-EID approved the conduct of horse racing activities in areas under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
The horse racing in MECQ zones was allowed under a “no-audience set up.”
Only online and TeleBet activities in the National Capital Region Plus (Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna) were allowed to operate.
Horse racing activities were forced to stop for six months, since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic in March last year.
Despite the challenges amid the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, the horse racing industry remains on the right track, Philracom chairman Reli de Leon said during a May 18 forum.
De Leon also expressed optimism that 2021 would be a “fruitful year” for the Philippine horse racing, which provides over PHP1 billion in yearly contributions to the national government and generates over 12,000 job opportunities. (PNA)
