LIST: Businesses, activities allowed in all quarantine areas starting May 16

MANILA, Philippines — With the easing of quarantine guidelines over parts of the Philippines starting Saturday, we will begin to see the return of some industries in our "new normal" lives.

Even areas that will be covered by a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), namely Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Laguna, will witness select businesses reintroduced.

Related: Metro Manila, Laguna, Cebu City under 'modified' ECQ until May 31

Based on the National Action Plan released Wednesday, here’s a list of businesses and activities you can expect to find in your area allowed to operate with safety protocols.

Related: What is modified, enhanced, general quarantine? Here's how to tell the difference

Category I: Allowed in ECQ, MECQ, GCQ areas

• Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
• Manufacturing of essential goods: food and beverages (non-alcoholic), hygiene (including soap, detergent, disinfectant), medicines and vitamins, medical products (including masks), and pet food, feeds and fertilizers
• Hospitals and clinics (including dermatological, dental, optometric and eye, ear, nose and throat)
• Essential retail (including groceries, markets, drug stores)
• Laundry shops (including self-service)
• Food preparation and water-refilling (take-out and delivery only)
• Logistics service providers (including cargo handling, warehousing, trucking and shipping line)
• Delivery services
• Utilities: power, energy, water, telecom, aircon, water collection/supply; waste management, sewerage (except septic tank emptying, but including pest control and garbage collection)
• Repair and installation of machinery and equipment
• Telecommunication companies (including internet service providers, cable providers and telco third-party contractors)
• Energy companies (including third-party contractors) across transmission, distribution, maintenance, retail, exploration, operations, trading and delivery of raw materials (including refineries and depots)
• Gasoline stations
• DPWH-accredited construction workers (facilities for healthcare and risk reduction)
• Manufacturing companies and suppliers or products necessary for construction
• Media establishments (partially allowed under ECQ)

Category II: Allowed in MECQ, GCQ areas

• Other manufacturing (partially allowed under MECQ): beverages (including alcoholic), electrical machinery, wood products and furniture, non-metallic products, textiles and wearing apparels*, tobacco products, paper and paper products, rubber and plastic products, coke and refined petroleum products, other non-metallic mineral products, computer; electronic and optical products*, electrical equipment*, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, other transport equipment and others [* if high-employment gain, high fiscal revenue gain and low health risk]
• Cement and steel
• Mining and quarrying
• Electronic commerce companies
• Postal, courier and delivery services
• Export-oriented companies
• Real estate activities (only leasing partially allowed under MECQ)
• Public and private construction projects that are essential (excluding small-scale projects, partially allowed under MECQ): sewerage, water services facilities, digital works and health facilities
• Public and private construction projects that are a priority (excluding small-scale projects, partially allowed under MECQ): food production, agriculture, energy, housing, communication, water facilities, manufacturing and BPO
• Repair of computers and personal/household goods
• Housing service activities
• Office administrative and office support (partially allowed under MECQ): photocopying, billing, etc.
• Special purpose accommodation for healthcare workers, OFWs, workers in permitted sectors and non-OFWs with mandated quarantine
• Accommodation for guests partially allowed under MECQ and GCQ, but only for existing long-term bookings (high employment gain, high fiscal revenue gain, low health risk) or Luzon bookings as of May 1
• Funeral and embalming services (except funeral parlors, partially allowed under MECQ): Wake allowed under GCQ
• Veterinary clinics (partially allowed under MECQ)
• Security and investigation activities (partially allowed under MECQ)
• BPO: work-from-home, on-site or near-site accommodation or point-to-point shuttles
• Banks, money transfer services, microfinance institutions, pawnshops (excluding those not performing money transfer), credit cooperatives (all must have high employment gain, high fiscal revenue gain, low health risk)
• Capital markets (high employment gain, high fiscal revenue gain, low health risk): BSP, SEC, PDEC, PDTC, etc.
• Other financial services (partially allowed under MECQ): Money exchange, insurance, reinsurance and non-compulsory pension funding
• Legal and accounting (partially allowed under MECQ)
• Management consultancy activities (partially allowed under MECQ)
• Architecture/engineering activities and technical testing/analysis (partially allowed under MECQ) with high employment gain, high fiscal revenue gain, low health risk
• Scientific and research development (partially allowed under MECQ)

Category III: Partially allowed in MECQ areas, allowed in GCQ areas

• Advertising and market research
• Computer programming (including writing code and designing computer systems) and information service activities (including data processing)
• Publishing (including newspapers and books) and printing (including on textiles and glass) activities
• Film, music and television production
• Other activities: photography, fashion, industrial, graphic and interior design
• Wholesale and retail trade of motor vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles, including parts and components
• Repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles (including vulcanizing shops, battery repair shops and auto repair shops)
• Malls and commercial centers (non-leisure only)
• Dining and restaurants (partially allowed in MECQ with no dine-in option and GCQ undergoing review)
• Hardware stores
• Clothing and accessories
• Mall-based government frontline services
• Hardware stores
• Bookstores and school/office supplies stores
• Pet food and pet care supplies
• IT, communications and electronic equipment
• Flower, jewelry, novelty, antique, perfume shops
• Toy stores (playground/amusement areas closed)
• Rental and leasing other than real estate (allowed in MECQ): vehicles and equipment for permitted sectors
• Employment activities (allowed in MECQ): recruitment and placement for permitted sectors

Category IV: Not allowed anywhere

• Gyms/fitness studios and sports facilities
• Entertainment industries (including cinemas, theaters and karaoke bars)
• Kid amusement industries (including playrooms and rides)
• Libraries, archives, museums and cultural centers
• Tourist destinations (including water parks, beaches and resorts)
• Travel agencies, tour operators, reservation service and related activities
• Personal care services (including massage parlors, sauna, facial care and waxing. Barbershops and salons were originally under Category III, but are still not allowed everywhere pending review from Department of Trade and Industry)