MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday urged mall security managers to require quarantine passes from its customers to improve the implementation of social distancing measures and avoid mass gathering in malls.
Police Lieutenant Col. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of Joint Task Force Coronavirus (JTF CV) Shield, said mandating quarantine passes from customers entering malls will follow government’s guidelines in allowing only one person per household to go out and get essential goods and services amid the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
The PNP met with security management in malls in the National Capital Region earlier in the day to discuss the implementation of health and safety protocols following reports of crowding and lack of physical distancing when the malls partially opened on May 16 in MECQ areas.
Eleazar said the mall security managers were also reminded to strictly limit the number of people allowed to enter the malls as stated in the government’s guidelines.
“So una yung maximum number of customers, dapat yun lang ang papasok lang sa loob… It could be computed base doon sa 1 customer per 2 square meters doon sa mga open areas,” he said.
Mall security managers have also been urged to designate drop off and pick up points to ensure that those entering malls are allowed to avail goods and services.
Metro Manila is under MECQ until May 31.
Under this setup, select businesses and offices will be allowed to resume 50% of operations and workforce, provided that minimum health standards will be implemented.
The guidelines also state that only essential and non-leisure shops will be permitted to open, including hardware stores, office supplies and clothing and accessories stores.
The number of customers allowed inside the stores will also be limited, and elevators will only be allowed to ferry 50% of its total capacity with occupants observing social distancing measures.
Free mall WiFi connection will be disabled and air condition temperature will be regulated to 26 centigrade to discourage loitering and lingering of peopleinside the mall.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has earlier warned that malls partially opened during the MECQ will be ordered closed if they fail to implement social distancing measures. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Lea Ylagan)
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