Several establishments in Bohol can now be filled by up to 50 percent of their capacities after quarantine measures in the province were relaxed from General Community Quarantine to Modified GCQ this month.

According to Governor Art Yap, restaurants can now accommodate dine-in customers allowing them to take up 50 percent of their establishments.

The same goes for churches or places of worship which were previously only allowed to be filled by 25 percent while the province was under GCQ.

However, Yap clarified that restaurants need the approval of their respective local government units before they are allowed to raise their seating capacity to ensure that they are observing social distancing measures and other protocols.

“Ang dine-in pwede na sila mag 50 percent but subject of course with the approval sa ilang mga mayor ug municipal health officials para klaro na ang minimal health standard kaya nilang sundon,” he said.

Restaurants need to have handwashing facilities and foot baths and to observe proper distancing between tables.

Meanwhile, work-related conferences and meetings can now also be conducted given that only 50 percent of the area where they are gathered are filled.

Public gatherings such as concerts or celebrations and commemorations of events are still prohibited.

“For example, July 22 which is Bohol day, I am not going to have any big public celebration,” Yap said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque, during a late night press briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte and other Cabinet officials on Tuesday, announced that Bohol will be under MGCQ starting July 1.

Bohol was placed under GCQ along with Cebu Province and Negros Oriental while Siquijor which was not mentioned among quarantine areas is now considered a “low-risk” area.

According to Duque, the classifications were based on the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Meanwhile, neighboring Cebu City which has emerged as a new virus hotspot remained under Enhanced Community Quarantine.