Beginning June 16 until at least June 30, 2021, the entire province of
Negros Oriental will be placed under MECQ. Negros is not the only region in the Philippines to be placed under these new restrictions. Other areas include
Davao City, Zamboanga City, and 18 other areas.
Prohibited in areas under MECQ are:
a) Entertainment venues with live performers such as karaoke bars, bars, clubs, concert halls, theaters, and cinemas;
b) Recreational venues such as internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, and similar venues;
c) Amusement parks or theme parks, fairs/peryas, kid amusement industries such as playgrounds, playroom, and kiddie rides;
d) Outdoor sports courts or venues for contact sports, scrimmages, games, or activities;
e) Indoor sports courts or venues, fitness studios, gyms, spas or other indoor leisure centers or facilities, and swimming pools;
f) Casinos, horse racing, cockfighting and operation of cockpits, lottery and betting shops, and other gaming establishments except for the draws conducted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office;
g) Indoor visitor or tourist attractions, libraries, archives, museums, galleries, and cultural shows and exhibits;
h) Outdoor tourist attractions;
i) Venues for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions;
j) Personal care services which include beauty salons, beauty parlors, medical aesthetic clinics, cosmetic or derma clinics, make-up salons, nail spas, reflexology, aesthetics, wellness, and holistic centers, and other similar establishments; acupuncture and electrocautery establishments, and massage therapy including sports therapy establishments. It also includes establishments providing tanning services, body piercings, tattooing, and similar services. Home service for these activities are likewise not permitted;
k) Indoor dine-in services of food preparation establishments such as commissaries, restaurants, and eateries.
Also, during MECQ:
Gatherings outside of residences shall be prohibited. Gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household shall likewise be prohibited. However, gatherings that are essential for the provision of health services, government services, or humanitarian activities authorized by the appropriate government agency or instrumentality shall be allowed. Religious gatherings shall be allowed up to ten percent (10%) of the venue capacity.
Provided, that, there is no objection from the local government unit where the religious gathering may take place. Provided, further, that the LGU may increase the allowable venue capacity up to thirty percent (30%). The religious denominations should strictly observe their submitted protocols and the minimum public health standards.
Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, internment, funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 shall be allowed, provided that the same shall be limited to immediate family members, upon satisfactory proof of their relationship with the deceased and with full compliance with the prescribed minimum public health standards for the duration of the activity.
These restrictions are mandated until June 30, 2021. Hopefully, progress will be made and the restrictions will be removed July 01.
