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MANILA – Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion has recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to increase the allowed capacity of business establishments and permit unvaccinated individuals in these establishments in areas that will be placed under Alert Level 3.
During the Palace briefing Tuesday, Concepcion said the business sector, particularly operators of restaurants, spa, personal care services, and gyms met with medical professionals discussing safe and gradual reopening of the economy for the last quarter of the year.
He said these sectors of the economy appealed to the government to ease restrictions to at least Alert Level 3 at the start of the fourth quarter, as this is a crucial period for businesses where consumer spending increases.
“It is important to increase their capacity so they can have higher revenue for the fourth quarter. They have to recover their losses during the fourth quarter so that they can pay their employees’ 13th-month pay this Christmas,” Concepcion said in Filipino.
In the current alert level system, only vaccinated individuals are allowed to enter dine-in restaurants, salons, and fitness clubs under Alert Level 3.
The business sector also urged the government to increase allowed capacity by more than 30 percent.
“We need to open the economy and move to at least Alert Level 3 this fourth quarter. The last quarter is when consumers spend a lot of money. This can be done for areas with high vaccination, or around 80 percent,” Concepcion said during the dialogue between medical professionals and the business sector Monday.
With the support from health experts, he said the business sector is pushing for more mobility for vaccinated individuals.
Concepcion added that providing more privileges to the vaccinated population is already being implemented in other countries. (PNA)
