THE government issued safety seal certifications to 43,332 public and private establishments nationwide as of Oct. 1 under a certification program that seeks to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In a joint statement by several departments on Tuesday, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez urged more businesses to adopt the safety seal since it boosts the confidence of consumers to go out and avail of their services.
Under the certification program, businesses that have the safety seal display their compliance to minimum public health standards set by the government.
“Businesses can do their share in the fight against the pandemic and create a healthy space for consumers to transact their purchases and for employees to gainfully and safely earn a living,” Mr. Lopez said.
Under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 21-01 involving the departments of Trade, Health, Interior and Local Government, Labor and Employment, and Tourism, a business establishment can apply for a safety seal as long as it is registered, uses any government-mandated digital contact tracing application, and implements minimum health protocols.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat encouraged all tourism establishments to apply for a safety seal, adding that it bodes well with the agency’s priority to ensure the health and safety of tourists and workers.
According to Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año, applying for a safety seal is not mandatory, but is encouraged to entice more customers and increase the sales and profit of businesses.
Since the start of the program in May, a total of 85,731 applications were filed. Some 50.54% or 43,332 applications were granted while 11.50% or 9,858 applications were either denied or referred to the appropriate agency. The remaining percentage are still in the inspection process. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave