MANILA – Palace said the reopening of traditional movie houses has been postponed after Metro Manila mayors deferred the opening on Monday.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the reopening of cinemas in the National Capital Region was moved to March 1 and subject to the approval of the respective local government units.
“Kinakailangan ipagpatuloy ang mga consultations at kinakailangan bumuo ng guidelines ang mga lokal na pamahalaan bago mabuksan ang mga sinehan,” Roque said on Monday.
Metro Manila mayors opposed the latest mandate of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) that allows cinemas, museums, games arcades, and other leisure establishments to reopen under general community quarantine areas (GCQ).
Meanwhile, the IATF-EID defended its decision to reopen cinemas and other leisure places in GCQ areas saying it was based on the country’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health and economic data.
“The decision to reopen the economy is based on health and economic data. We can’t afford to go on like this forever. It’s already 2021. It’s been one year since the country’s first COVID-19 case,” said Cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles, chairman of IATF-EID.
“It can’t be the same as far as the economy is concerned. At this point, nandito na tayo sa risk management. Wala na tayo sa risk aversion,” he added.
According to Nograles, movie theaters have reopened in areas under modified general community quarantine a few months ago and no “super spreader” has been reported./PN
