MANILA The Philippines on Saturday placed more areas under a looser coronavirus lockdown to reboot its shrinking economy and halt job losses that topped the 1-million mark.

Metro Manila, which accounts for a third of gross domestic product, will be under modified enhanced community quarantine until May 31, together with other "transitioning high-risk" Luzon provinces, said the government's inter-agency task force on pandemic response.

The modified lockdown will allow the following industries to re-open at full capacity

• Media outfits
• Cement and steel production
• Business process outsourcing and export-oriented establishments, without need to set up onsite or near-site accommodation arrangements
• Mining and quarrying
• E-commerce companies
• Postal, courier and delivery services
• Rental and leasing, other than real estate, such as vehicles and equipment for permitted sectors
• Employment activities that involve the recruitment and placement for permitted sectors
• Repair of computers, personal and household goods
• Housing services

The following industries can operate at 50 percent capacity while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible arrangements:

• Other manufacturing industries classified as beverages, including alcoholic drinks; electrical machinery; wood products and furniture; non-metallic products; textiles and clothing/wearing apparels; tobacco products; coke and refined petroleum products; other non-metallic mineral products; computers, electronic and optical products; electrical equipment; machinery and equipment; motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers; other transport equipment
• Real estate and leasing activities
• Administrative and office support such as photocopying and billing services
• Financial services such as money exchange, insurance, microfinance and credit cooperatives, reinsurance and non-compulsory pension funding
• Legal and accounting services
• Management consultancy
• Architectural and engineering activities
• Science and technology, and research and development
• Recruitment and placement agencies for overseas employment
• Advertising and market research
• Computer programming and information management
• Publishing and printing
• Film, music and television production
• Photography, fashion, and industrial, graphic and interior design
• Wholesale and retail trade of vehicles and their parts
• Malls and commercial centers
• Takeout and delivery services for restaurants
• Hardware stores
• Clothing and accessories
• Bookstores and school and office supplies
• Baby care supplies
• Pet food and supplies
• Information technology, communications and electronic equipment
• Flower, jewelry, novelty, antique and perfume shops
• Toy stores with their playgrounds and amusement areas closed
• Firearms and ammunition trading establishments

The following will remain closed, said the task force:

• Tourist destinations like water parks
• Entertainment industries such as cinemas, theaters and karaoke bars
• Child amusement industries
• Libraries, archives, museums and cultural centers
• Gyms, fitness studios and sports facilities
• Personal care services such as massage parlors, saunas, facial care and waxing

While public transportation is suspended, the task force said it would allow the movement of personal vehicles and company shuttles for permitted industries.

The economy shrank by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of the year, the first contraction in 22 years, as the lockdown that started on March 17 shut businesses and forced people to stay at home. The government revised its growth forecast for 2020 to a contraction of 2 to 3.4 percent.

The Philippines lost up to 1.5 million jobs permanently or temporarily because of the pandemic, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said on May 12, as he unveiled a 5-point plan to restart the economy.

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• READ: Latest IATF guidelines on implementation of coronavirus quarantine across PH