Stores urged to extend operations to 12 hours

MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) yesterday urged establishments selling basic necessities to extend their operating period to 12 hours to ensure that households have enough stock of goods during the quarantine period.

Cabinet Secretary and IATF spokesman Karlo Nograles said local government units (LGUs) should allow the establishments to extend their business hours, but measures should be set in place to ensure proper physical distancing in wet markets.

“Supermarkets, public and private wet markets, grocery stores, agri-fishery supply stores, pharmacies, drug stores and other retail establishments engaged in the business of selling basic necessities are strongly encouraged to extend their store operations to a maximum of 12 hours,” Nograles said in a televised press briefing.

“LGUs are directed to allow such establishments to operate pursuant to the foregoing,” he added.

Nograles said one social distancing measure that can be implemented is providing for specific daily schedules per sector or area.

Earlier, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año urged LGUs to lift the window hours in groceries or markets to avoid overcrowding.

“I’m advising all LGUs to lift what we call the window hours for marketing or buying because if you set window hours, there would be crowding of people. It should be at 12 hours and should observe strictly social distancing,” he said at a press briefing late last month. – Louella Desiderio