Davao City – About 104 establishments in Davao City were inspected and monitored by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI XI) and were noted to have complied with the protocols as indicated in the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
DTI Davao City OIC of the Consumer Protection Division Czar Raul Bulaclac bared in the One Davao Virtual Presser that the national agency has already inspected and monitored 104 establishments; 80 of which are restaurants; 15 are barbershops; while 9 are BPOs, telecommunication office, and banks.
“In our monitoring, most have complied with the protocols. Some were noted that need correction and after being told about the protocol, they immediately complied,” Bulaclac said.
The DTI Davao City officer explained that in monitoring and inspecting compliance of these establishments, the office uses an application and guided by a checklist which automatically gets forwarded to the central office. It is when certain industries is being studied and decided if an increase of operational capacity or a re-categorization or additional services may be allowed.
“We always emphasize to our clients that their operation would depend heavily on their compliance to health protocols”, he explained.
In the recent Memorandum Circular 20-44 issued by the DTI secretary Ramon Lopez last July 31, 2020, it has reiterated the role of the DTI in the regular review of business establishments and activities. The DTI has to review the list of Category 1-4 Business Establishments and Activities every 15 days to assess if these establishments have been following minimum parameters.
Core parameters cited are COVID 19 transmission risk inherent to the business activity; capacity of the business activity to impose physical distancing measures; and historical compliance rate with the health protocols, where applicable.
Also in the same memorandum circular, business establishments must register with any IATF-endorsed contact tracing application such as SafePass or StaySafePh or administer contact tracing forms to customers, visitors, and suppliers entering their premises and health declaration forms to employees.
Establishments are also called to cooperate in contact tracing efforts of the DOH in case a confirmed COVID-19 case or a close contact thereof has visited the business establishment and report or notify public health authorities of workers who show signs or symptoms of COVID 19. (Frances Mae Macapagat)
(Source: PIA XI)