Video courtesy of PTV

The Department of Trade and Industry said on Thursday said it was recommending the limited reopening of hair salons and indoor dining services during the extension of the second strictest quarantine level in Metro Manila and four surrounding provinces.

Some 1 million people remain out of work in the capital region and Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal provinces due to the modified enhanced community quarantine in the area, said DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo.

MECQ only allows select industries to operate at full capacity.

If the inter-agency task force of COVID-19 allows hair salons and barbershops to reopen at 50-percent of venue capacity, some 400,000 workers will be able to return to work, Castelo said.

Meanwhile, DTI estimates that around 100,000 workers will be re-employed if indoor restaurant dining resumes, she said in a public briefing.

“Ang recommendation kasi ni [DTI] Secretary [Ramon] Lopez is to ease up a little bit, ‘yong magdagdag tayo ng mga negosyo, lalo na iyong mga labor intensive talaga na puwede namang sundin ‘yong mandatory health protocols natin,” said Castelo.

(The recommendation of DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez is to ease up a little bit, add more businesses, especially those that are labor intensive, which can follow our mandatory health protocol.)

The IATF will meet on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said the NCR Plus area would be under MECQ for another 2 weeks, until May 14.