Gov’t banking on ‘safety seals’ to allay people’s fear
The government is looking to allay people’s fear of heading out to both private and public establishments by issuing safety seals to those who adhere to health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a result of massive IEC on the spread of Covid-19, it is apparent that many people will always seek safety outside their home in response to the government’s call , to fulfill their civic responsibility and protect their own health. Hence, the safety seal is designed to provide the public with a safe environment in which to dine, shop, and transact without the high risk of exposure to the virus.
“Considering that we are in the new normal, this is the possibility that the establishment can demonstrate that it meets the minimum health standard”, City Local Government and Operation Officer (CLGOO) Jennifer Fernandez said during the Press Conference. Further, she said that having a sealed facility can have an advantage over another facility as they have shown that their customers are in good hands by implementing health protocols.
On the other hand, City Administrator Rene Jumilla told the media that people will be safer and calmer when a facility is sealed. He added saying that the city government through the City Information Office will be running a massive campaign across all platforms to encourage more establishments to apply for sealing.
“The Safety Seal is a voluntary certification system,” CLGOO Jennifer Fernandez said. To be sealed, an applicant must have its business permits in order, use the government’s StaySafe.ph platform or any contact tracing system, and maintain minimum health standards at all times. This entails maintaining strict physical distance, adequate ventilation, and the use of masks and face shields within the premises.
“The seal is valid for 6 months and they can apply after the validity period. There is also a regular monitoring to ensure continuous compliance”, BPLD Licensing Officer IV Gilbert Gayosa told the media. A valid complaint can revoke the safety seal. Reinstated Safety Seals are valid for six (6) months or one (1) year from the date of reinstatement in the case of tourism enterprises.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Tourism (DOT), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Local Government Units collaborate to grant establishments a Safety Seal to be prominently displayed indicating that the building or establishment they are entering is compliant to health standards. LGUs are responsible for inspecting and awarding the Safety Seal to malls, wet markets, other retail stores, restaurants outside hotels and resorts, fast food stores, eateries, coffee shops, banks, money changers, pawnshops, remittance centers, car wash, laundry service centers, art galleries, libraries,