Baguio City — In accordance with the implementation of the Safety Seal Certification Program, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and local government units (LGUs) will inspect government agencies and business establishments to ensure compliance with Minimum Public Health Standards (MPHS).
The certification of the safety seal ensures that agencies and private establishments comply with the minimum public health standards (MPHS), including the adoption and use of the StaySafe.ph application.
The DILG, as the issuing authority, will bestow the “Safety Seal” on compliant government establishments such as city and municipal halls, provincial capitols, and all other LGU facilities and buildings.
It will also inspect police camps and stations, Bureau of Fire Protection offices and stations, Provincial, District, and City Jails, barangay halls and other barangay facilities, and all other public establishments not covered by the other Issuing Agencies.
While LGUs will be in charge of issuing the “Safety Seal” certification to other private establishments in their jurisdictions, they will also be in charge of performing regular audits on those who have received the certification to ensure they continue to adhere to the required safety protocols.
Safety Seal Requirements
In an official statement, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said that under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 21-01 issued by DILG, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Department of Health (DOH, Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the implementing guidelines of the Safety Seal program, establishments must require a health declaration and/or symptoms assessment; a non-contact temperature check is performed on all employees, customers, and any individual who enters the premises; customers and other individuals who enter the premises are asked to register with StaySafe.ph; and, as applicable, an isolation area for symptomatic employees shall be provided.
Safety Seal Validity
The safety seal is valid for six months from the date of issuance, with the exception of tourism enterprises, which has a one-year validity period. One month before the expiration of the safety seal, an establishment should renew its certification.
Meanwhile, the ‘Safety Seal’ certificates of establishments that failed to maintain the required safety and health standards will be revoked and will be reissued once they comply with the protocols and standards. (Pamela Geminiano, photo courtesy by Joseph Manzano, RPN DZBS Baguio OIC)