MANILA – Golf courses have been allowed to resume operations in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), but only players ages 21 to 59 may swing their golf clubs, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) said.
IATF-EID’s guidelines did not sit well with most of the golfing enthusiasts and seniors of the country who are mostly turning to the sports for relaxation.
“That’s totally unfair,” said Joey Romasanta, president of the volleyball association. “When courses reopen, we should be allowed to determine whether we want to play or not.”
National Golf Association of the Philippines executive director Bone Floro, for his part, said that the association plans to fully cooperate with the IATF in finding an acceptable and just resolution to the seniors’ complaints.
“We know the IATF’s main concern is to protect our citizens who are young and old, and we are with them all the way,” said Floro. “But we are still awaiting the final word from the IATF regarding possible changes in golf guidelines.”
It was clarified last weekend by the IATF-EID that golf courses can continue to operate in areas under GCQ following some confusion generated by a new government-issued guideline which allowed golf to be only played under modified GCQ.
Modified GCQ, however, has not been declared yet in any areas of the country as it will only be determined in the next IATF meeting to be held before the end of the current quarantine restrictions on May 31./PN
