NOTE: This story was first published in The Bohol Chronicle’s Sunday print edition.
Restaurants can now accept dine-in clients with strict limitation to 30% only of its total capacity while the province is still under General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
This is based on the Guidelines on Minimum Protocol for Dine-In Restaurants and Fast Food Establishments issued by the Department of Trade and Industry, in response to the IATF Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines.
The guidelines issued by the DTI require dine-in restaurants and fast food establishments to follow minimum health protocols.
Meanwhile, Mayor Baba Yap yesterday issued a nine-point guidelines to be complied by restaurants before they can start accepting dine-in customers. The requirements will be submitted to the office of City Administrator Kathy Torremocha, An inspection team from the City Hall will do actual inspection before any restaurant can be issued the “Clearance to Operate.”
Included in the requirement for city restaurants are: markings of social distancing, with two-meter distance with a maximum of two chairs per table, to accept customers at 10 at a time, , pictures of the sterilizing equipment for spoons, forks and knives;face shields, face masksaprons and gloves for servers;container for the money to be used during the payment transaction, alcohol for customers at the entrance;footbath at entry points and non contact thermometer. The resto should have a Mayor’s Permit.
For carenderias, food containers placed inside a transparent cabinet.
Under the said guidelines, these establishments are required to post information materials at the entrance and other prominent or conspicuous areas in their establishments such as but not limited to enforcement of a no mask, no entry policy; social distancing protocols indicating maximum number of persons allowed inside; regular sanitation schedule and procedures; availability of alternative methods of payment, if applicable; availability of alternative methods of ordering and picking-up of orders; client-personnel interaction protocols; and other enforcement measures.
The guidelines also require the placement of floor mat or foot bath with disinfectant at the entrance; the queueing area with a Roving Officer while customers wait to be seated; a calibrated thermal scanner for temperature reading; rubbing alcohol that can be easily sprayed on the hands; and a health checklist for customers to fill-up.
Likewise, the DTI also emphasizes the installation of the following equipment and system at the workplace: properly-sanitized tables and chairs; distancing of tables and chairs to at least one (1) meter apart on all sides. Face-to-face seating is allowed only with proper dividers. Visible floor markings for the guidance of clients in queueing, provision of food menus per table; contactless order-taking is also among the minimum protocols enumerated in the guidelines.
DTI Bohol Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy said that “these guidelines will help ensure that the spread of the coronavirus will be controlled as dine-in restaurants and fast-food chains will open next week.” She added that establishments are required to comply with these minimum health protocols by June 15.
For a full list of these DTI Guidelines, please visit our official facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DTI.BoholProvince/. -(DTI Bohol)