Life under General Community Quarantine

Filipinos, even when pressured by COVID-19, are still finding ways to live their lives to the fullest. Though the pandemic is no laughing matter, we still find ways to laugh the stress off and get productive. Some are achieving their fitness goals, learning new recipes, finding new hobbies, and even reconnecting with their loved ones. Since lockdown restrictions in certain cities and provinces have been brought down to general community quarantine (GCQ), people are looking forward to more lenient rules in hopes of running their businesses better. 

As we live life under GCQ, it’s important to know what’s allowed and what’s not, right? Planning to go back to work? Or go outside to buy necessities? Below is a list of functioning and closed businesses and services you must know.

Fully Functional Businesses

• Healthcare
  • Manufacturing of medicinal and chemical products; and
  • Merchandising and trading of supplies, devices, and packaging.
• Agriculture
  • Manufacturing and selling of physical goods and chemicals; and
  • Merchandising and trading of local goods and services.
• Services
  • Physical labor services (construction, healthcare)
  • Food and restaurant services
  • Veterinary services; and
  • Funeral services.

Semi-operational Businesses

• Accounting and Banking Services
  • Banks and money transfer services
  • Legal and accounting services; and
  • Capital markets
• Architecture and Engineering Services
• Real Estate Services
  • Rental and leasing
• Media Services
  • Publishing and production in any medium
• Personal Care Services
  • Barbershops, salons

Closed Businesses

• Amusement Parks
• Museums and Cultural Centers
• Entertainment Businesses (gambling, pubs, clubs, and such)

If you’re itching to go to these closed establishments to have fun with your family and friends, you may want to move it to a later date. When is the best time? Maybe next month? Next year? We’ll never know until we flatten the curve, so save the fun for later and stay home until it is safe outside. Don’t worry, we know you can bear it.

Above are the businesses functioning and closed during GCQ. With these lenient regulations, little by little, people are coming to work and bouncing back to their old routine. Before you go out, know if the service/business you’re seeking is operational. This will save you time and money. 

However, if by chance you’re working under the operational fields, life under GCQ may be a bit of a challenge. Traveling to work will be difficult, for public transportation is still limited to avoid rapid transmission of the deadly virus. 

But, here’s good news: most employees are given the option to work at home. If you’re among the lucky ones, you may even be allowed to bring home an equipment to help you work better. Talk to your employer about this because sometimes, if you don’t ask, you won’t get.

Finally, if you’re heading out, see if you’re wearing a mask and have a sanitizer at hand. In these challenging times, it’s better to exercise proper hygiene to prevent getting infected by any disease. And since we’re in a pandemic, take your family and community’s health into consideration, too. Keeping a healthy lifestyle can benefit everyone around you. Regardless, instilling discipline in ourselves will aid the government in helping the country beat COVID-19. 
Seeking COVID-related articles? Visit DOH or COVID-19 PH for the latest information.

Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash