DOT ISSUES PROTOCOLS ON RESTAURANT OPERATIONS UNDER THE

NEW NORMAL
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/DOTissuesProtocolOnRestaurants.aspx?
fbclid=IwAR3hYk7ozqNE7wMSWyEJ0JMH7JHBbwYwltw8tTvEN18OjHm_oNBeDiKBgTw

The guidelines also contain a comprehensive list of food safety and conduct standards, and
disinfection and sanitation protocols for different areas, furniture, wares, and surfaces within the
restaurant, which employees are expected to follow. Restaurant owners are encouraged to install
an alarm system that will remind employees to practice proper handwashing every 20 minutes,
before and after meals, before wearing gloves, touching food or food-contact surfaces, and other
specific actions. In the absence of soap and water, 70% solution alcohol or alcohol-based hand
sanitizers must be provided. On the other hand, customers must also wear masks, accomplish
HDFs, undergo temperature checks, and practice proper handwashing and physical distancing
upon entry to or when inside the restaurant premises. They will be required to provide their
names and contact details in a contract tracing log–sheet supplied by the establishment. Other
salient features of the guidelines include standards on in-house and delivery services of
restaurants such as the establishment of pick–up or take–away zones for customers, and overall
improvements to the establishment's table and seating arrangement, customer queueing, order–
taking, and payment systems. Tourism Chief Puyat urged restaurants to optimize technology in
shifting to contactless transactions- when taking orders, or receiving payments from customers.
Meanwhile, the operation of buffets and salad bars will remain prohibited. At the same time, in-
house play areas, libraries, karaoke machines, and ancillary leisure facilities, and similar
amenities will temporarily be suspended. The guidelines were issued after the adoption by the
Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) of
the joint recommendations of the DOT and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on
health and safety protocols for dine-in operations of restaurants.

DOT ISSUES GUIDELINES DEFINING "NEW NORMAL" FOR

ACCOMMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/NewNormalforAEs.aspx?
fbclid=IwAR1AOvOLN9wvKFBixSBW325Qob3ze5N9jVeZf9pZp8qH-qRTWOINI4Ngy2w

The comprehensive Guidelines provide for the operations of accommodation establishments

(AEs) in the areas of Guest Handling; Reception and Concierge; Rooms and Housekeeping;
Food and Beverage Service; Kitchen Sanitation and Disinfection; Public Areas; Hotel and
Transport Service; Engineering and Maintenance Service; Business Practices and Management;
and Suppliers of Goods and Services. Under Section 5, Guest Handling Policy, the establishment
is required: 1) To have the guests complete a Health Declaration Form upon check-in; 2) to
encourage online payment upon booking; and 3) to conduct body temperature checking using a
thermal scanner at the hotel entrances shall be undertaken for all guests by qualified health or
medical staff or trained hotel personnel. Only guests cleared during screening shall be allowed to
enter the hotel perimeter to check-in. Section 5 further states that guests must be provided with
reminder cards, which may include the following: 1) No sharing of food or any personal or non-
personal belongings; 2) Proper disposal of used PPE; 3) Mingling with occupants of other rooms
are not encouraged; 4) Practice of proper handwashing etiquette/hand hygiene, respiratory
etiquette, and proper use of face mask; and 5) Strict observance of Physical Distancing. Among
the other highlights of the Guidelines include: Precautionary measures on physical distancing,
hand cleaning, and respiratory etiquette must be strictly observed; wearing of masks by front
desk personnel attending to guests; use of disposable gloves when handling cash or documents,
and/or materials that are passed from person to person. For the reception or front desk officer,
hand-shaking is not advised instead the practice of the Filipino Brand of Service (FBS) or the
"Mabuhay" gesture in greeting guests, as well as other forms of contactless greeting, is
encouraged. Only single up to double room occupancy is allowed. Couples or family members
who share the same household may be allowed in double or twin occupancy rooms. A distance
of 1-2 meters between the beds is highly encouraged. Section 15 of the Guidelines also lists the
measures that must be complied within the management of symptomatic guests, among them: 1)
Create a holding area for symptomatic guests; 2) Immediately refer symptomatic guests to the
nearest hospital; 3) Assure guests of assistance in case they begin to manifest symptoms such as
fever and/or cough; 4) Keep the symptomatic guest confined in the room originally used until
trained transport providers are available to transport him or her to designated referral hospital.
The staff must immediately inform the doctor on duty or the emergency response team for
assistance for coordination to the referral hospital or the Barangay Health Emergency Response
Team (BHERT) for assessment if any staff is concerned about the condition of a guest, or if a
guest requests access to medical services. The Section also reminds the staff and personnel to
avoid employing any discriminatory action against any sick person with high fever and cough for
fear of contracting or spreading the disease. For Accommodation Establishments in areas
declared to be under a Community Quarantine, Administrative Order No. 2020-002 or the
Community Quarantine Guidelines for Hotel Operations shall primarily govern, and the New
Normal Health and Safety Guidelines shall apply in a supplementary character.

TOURISM CHIEF REMINDS HOTELS, RESORTS: NO DOT CERTIFICATE,

NO BUSINESS OPERATIONS DURING MGCQ
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/NoDOTCertificateNoBusinessOperationDuringMGCQ.aspx?
fbclid=IwAR2AgdaCDM_Kmg2wkTSAjoOtsWj-Qa7LJbwHOY0b-MBQO1gIyML5neLxfy4

"All Accommodation Establishments that intend to commence commercial operations in

Community Quarantine Zones, whether for the accommodation of guests or operations of
in-house food facilities for take–out or delivery, shall secure a DOT Certificate of Authority
to Operate prior to any operations," stressed the Tourism Chief quoting Section 3 of the
Administrative Order 2020-002 otherwise known as the Guidelines on the Operations of Hotels
and other Accommodation Establishments under a Community Quarantine. Puyat reminds
businesses that commencement of operations without DOT Certificate of Authority to Operate
may subject the AE to the relevant penalties under applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
Puyat explains that "Application for such certification is FREE. DOT–accredited hotels and
other AEs need only to submit to the DOT Regional Office with jurisdiction over their area the
Letter of Intent to Operate, while Non–DOT–accredited hotels and AEs will need to apply for
accreditation to ensure compliance of basic requirements." Meanwhile, Tourism Congress of the
Philippines (TCP) President Jose Clemente III sees "optimism on the continuing commitment of
AEs to support a safe tourist experience and ensure healthy travel". Initially focusing on
domestic tourism, the DOT places primary importance on the safety and health of tourists and
tourism workers. Thus, All AEs that are accredited and authorized by the DOT will be required
to comply with the DOT Health and Safety Guidelines for Accommodation Establishments under
the New Normal based on protocols issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the
Philippine Department of Health (DOH). Secretary Puyat reiterates that tourism stakeholders
must closely coordinate with their respective local government units in the assessment of the
actual readiness of their areas to support resumption of tourism activities. Moreover, the DOT
enjoins tourism stakeholders, particularly entrepreneurs, to defer to the strict guidelines issued by
the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in connection with
the reopening of businesses in the transition from one community quarantine level to another.
Section [7], No. 3 states: "The interzonal movement of persons between areas placed under GCQ
and MGCQ for any purpose other than leisure shall be permitted, while Section [7], No. 4 states,
“Movement to and from an area placed under GCQ to an area where no community quarantine is
in place shall be permitted, except for the sole purpose of leisure. The movement of persons for
any purpose across areas placed under MGCQ and areas where no community quarantine is in
place shall be permitted."

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM (DOT) AND TOURISM

CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES (TCP)

The Department of Tourism (DOT), together with the Tourism Congress of the Philippines
(TCP) underscores the need for all Accommodation Establishments (AEs) that intend to
commence operations once their respective areas are under Modified General Community
Quarantine (MGCQ), whether for the accommodation of guests or operations of in-house food
facilities for take-out or delivery, to be accredited with the DOT and secure a DOT Certificate of
Authority to Operate prior to resumption of any operations. Application for such certification
is FREE. DOT–accredited AEs need only to submit to the DOT Regional Office with
jurisdiction over their area the Letter of Intent to Operate, while Non-DOT-accredited AEs will
need to apply for accreditation to ensure compliance with requirements. TCP President Jojo
Clemente expressed optimism on the continuing commitment of AEs to support a safe tourist
experience and ensure healthy travel. He noted that the partnership between DOT and private
sector stakeholders is key to paving a steady, safe and productive restart of tourism across the
countries that resume operations without the DOT accreditation and the DOT Certificate of
Authority may be subject to the relevant penalties under applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
As the DOT gears to push for domestic tourism, it places primary importance on the safety and
health of tourists and tourism workers. All AEs that are accredited and authorized to operate by
the DOT will be required to comply with the DOT Health and Safety Guidelines for
Accommodation Establishments Under the New Normal based on protocols issued by the World
Health Organization (WHO) and the Philippine Department of Health (DOH). The DOT and
TCP enjoin tourism stakeholders, particularly entrepreneurs, to also defer to the guidelines issued
by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) ON reopening of
businesses while transitioning from one community quarantine level to another. Secretary
Bernadette Romulo–Puyat reiterates that tourism stakeholders must closely coordinate with their
respective local government units in assessing the actual readiness of their areas to support
resumption of tourism activities.

DOT, DTI TO ROLL OUT HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES, DIGITAL

SOLUTIONS FOR RESTAURANTS
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/DOTDTIHealthAndSafetyGuidelines.aspx?fbclid=IwAR36Wir3uG5fUtapC-
it4Z8RUVrUPI2VvsAHOyxlfW2Vock8yX-W7PPse8I

The joint recommendations of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) on health and safety protocols for restaurant dine–in operations were approved by the
Inter–Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF–EID). During the 42nd IATF–EID
meeting yesterday, June 01, the task force agreed that the resumption and continued operations of
restaurants during quarantine and during the new normal will depend on the strict compliance of
stakeholders to the said health and safety protocols. In her virtual press briefing today, Tourism
Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that "The DOT and the DTI shall soon roll out a post–audit
mechanism to ensure that all restaurants follow the prescribed standards with non–compliant
enterprises facing temporary closure until strict adherence to regulations is accomplished.
”Meanwhile, in a bid to reopen the tourism businesses safely within the confines of community
quarantined areas, the DOT is working together with the DTI and inclusion tech venture builder
Talino Venture Labs to provide FREE digital solutions for accredited businesses to help them meet
the technological demands of the new normal. The IATF, during the same meeting has adopted Safe
Pass, an all–digital, contact–free authorizing, scheduling, and contact tracing solution to help
businesses operate safely during the Covid–19 pandemic situation. "We introduce these free digital
solutions as part of the government’s support to businesses, especially MSMEs, in their transition to
the new normal. Here, innovation is key to effectively implement and maintain health and safety
protocols in their premises," Puyat assured. Features of Safe Pass Express include space planning,
registration and health questionnaire, protocol enforcement, and digital incident management. The
technological innovation also reduces the burden of manual data capture through its all–digital and
contact–free collection of health information from every tourist or guest, and provides an efficient
incident management experience with tools for digital contact tracing. Another Express version of the
app called Dine In, which is also free for accredited restaurants, will allow customers to schedule a
reservation in a restaurant, following the government's safe distancing and incident management
regulations, book, order and pay their dine-in orders ahead through an all–digital, contact–free
menu. These applications are powered by inclusion tech venture builder Talino Venture Labs and
Amihan Global Strategies, an ASEAN leader in digital transformation.