Modified ECQ: Car dealerships can operate up to 50% capacity

After the government imposed the enhanced community quarantine to fight the spread of COVID-19, several areas in the Philippines will now be placed under a modified enhanced community quarantine or MECQ.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the MECQ will allow for several businesses and industries to operate at a reduced capacity of 50 percent.

This includes car dealerships which previously had to cease operations for the duration of the ECQ. For dealerships in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ), these facilities can operate at 100 percent, provided that employees will still observe social distancing, perform hand washing, and undergo temperature checks.

Dealerships located in GCQ areas like this Ford facility in Cagayan De Oro are now open

>>> Related: Modified ECQ – What it means for the transport sector?

On May 13, however, the government clarified that low-risk areas previously announced to “graduate” from community quarantine will remain under modified general community quarantine or MECQ from May 16 to May 31. These areas include:

LUZON

• Region 1 – Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City
• Region 4-B – Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Puerto Princesa City
• Region 5 – Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Legazpi City, Naga City

VISAYAS

• Region 6 – Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Iloilo City, Bacolod City
• Region 8 – Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Tacloban City

MINDANAO

• Region 10 – Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City
• Region 12 – North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM – Basilan,  Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and  Cotabato City

NCR, Laguna and Cebu City are considered as high-risk areas in terms of COVID-19 cases, and thus will remain under modified ECQ rules. The Inter-agency Task Force says that high-risk areas cannot transition into GCQ all at once, adding that this will be done in a “phased manner” to reduce the possibility of COVID-19’s resurgence.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque

>>> Related:

• Nissan PH dealerships reopen in GCQ areas, implements new SOPs
• Ford PH opens 14 dealerships in selected areas under GCQ

In connection with this, car dealerships in certain areas of Metro Manila are likely to resume operations, but car companies have yet to issue a statement regarding this development.

Also, they will have to put in place protocols to protect their employees as well as their customers, so it might take some time before any of them will be open.

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