Offices and factories in Valenzuela City will undergo risk assessment for possible spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) before they will be allowed to operate once the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) takes effect starting May 16.
Mayor Rex Gatchalian on Thursday said that by requiring businesses operating in the city to submit their “new normal management plan,” the local government will be able to assess their risk level if they open again.
On the 16th, the mayor said the businesses will be given five days to submit their new normal management plan. Under that new normal management plan, the city government wants to know the number of their employees and if their work set up is automated, semi-automated or fully automated.
“Importante ‘yun kasi mayroon kaming mga pabrika dito, malaki man sila, kukunti empleyado nila kasi puro makabago ang kanilang mga makina. So ang baba ng risk nila kasi puro automated,” he noted.
Gatchalian said that aside from visiting the dormitories of stay-in workers inside their factories, the local government will also enforce a “three-square-meters rule” inside the workplaces to ensure that social distancing is still implemented there.
“Ang sinabi ng IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force), 50 percent capacity. Pero paano pag maliit ‘yung pabrika, maraming empleyado, paano ‘yung 50 percent. Hindi pa rin sapat para sa social distancing,” he said.
“So we have to calibrate that further by imposing the three-square-meters rule. For every three square meters, dapat isang empleyado lang,” he added.
The local chief executive issued a stern warning that revocation of business permit awaits those who will violate the said measure. (Joseph Pedrajas)
