Various government agencies provided 45,649 safety seal certifications to various establishments nationwide as of Monday, October 18.
The safety seal certification guarantees the public that the establishment complies with the government's minimum public health guidelines for effectively containing COVID-19 spread.
According to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, the safety seal certifications translate to an additional 10% operational capacity for these businesses.
Malaya stated that of the 12,652 safety seal certifications issued to Metro Manila establishments, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provided 4,152; the Department of Tourism (DOT) provided 1,085; the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) approved 541; and the DILG issued 12,154, with local government units (LGUs) providing the majority of the certificates at 27,717.
He added that the safety seal certification granted by the relevant agencies is critical for business owners since it provides them with greater operational capacity.
Moreover, according to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, the certification program is helpful to the country's recovering economy because it strengthens consumers' confidence in going out and patronizing businesses in the new normal by assuring that a business establishment is compliant with health protocols. He urged additional firms to use the seal as an efficient way to stop the COVID-19 virus from spreading.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also advised business owners, particularly those in locations with strict quarantine regulations, to register for a safety seal.
A business facility is qualified to apply for a safety seal if properly registered, uses the Staysafe.ph app or any other digital contact tracing application authorized by the LGU, and appropriately follows and implements the Minium Public Health Standards (MPHS).
“Applying for a Safety Seal is not mandatory. However, business establishments are highly encouraged to apply since this will also help them attract customers which eventually leads to increased sales and profit,” Año mentioned.
On Saturday, October 16, the first day of the alert level 3 implementation in Metro Manila, massive crowds gathered at malls, parks, supermarkets, and other public locations, sparking fears of a COVID-19 resurgence.
When questioned, Malaya stated that there were no untoward incidents during the initial alert level 3 in Metro Manila. Still, he did concede to a sudden surge of people in parks, plazas, public gardens, and scenic overlooks due to the lifted restrictions.
The DILG spokesperson also reminded the public that there should be no clustering and that the minimum public health regulations, such as the use of face masks and face shields, should be strictly followed.
The Safety Seal Technical Working Group affirms to the public that the government is making every effort to support the Inter-Agency Task Force's Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) strategy with a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
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