The city government here has found it necessary to adopt the Safety Seal Certification Program as part of the “new normal” in the conduct of business and trade in this highly urbanized city.
“As more businesses are now slated to open to boost the economy, especially in the event the quarantine classifications are downgraded anew, the Safety Seal certification program is a practice program to boost consumer confidence in businesses,” said Mayor Jerry P. Treñas in his Executive Order (EO) 60 signed on July 13 and released on Wednesday.
With the adoption of the certification program, the mayor ordered the creation of the Iloilo City Safety Seal Certification Program Inspection and Certification Committee with the Business Process Licensing Division (BPLD) as the head of the Inspection Team that will serve as core group and secretariat to facilitate the application and/or visit the establishments and monitor their compliance.
Norman Tabud, head of the BPLD, in an interview said that he will be meeting on Thursday with the Inspection Team, which is composed of the City Health Sanitation Division, Iloilo City Compliance Team, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine National Police.
The team will be the ones to visit establishments that have sent their intent that they are ready for inspection, he said.
“We have a checklist that can be accessed from the safety seal website of the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry). They just comply and if they are ready our team will go there to verify. If they are compliant, then that’s the time that we will award them with the safety seal certification,” he said.
As per EO 60, the city government’s issuing authority shall apply to all private business establishments, selected public places, and other offices, including but not limited to malls; wet markets; other retail stores; restaurants outside hotels and resorts; food preparation establishments; banks, money changers, pawnshops, remittance centers, and microfinance institutions; car wash; laundry service centers; art galleries, libraries, museums, zoo; sports center; tutorial, testing and review centers; gyms; spas; cinemas; arcades and all other establishments that are allowed to open subject to the quarantine restrictions imposed by the government.
Tabud said the application for the safety seal, which is valid for six months, is voluntary.
“The purpose of this is for the general public to be confident when they enter the establishment because all safety health protocols are complied with,” he said.
He added that they eye to start with big establishments where large crowd usually convenes.
He estimated that 20 to 30 percent of the more or less 15,000 establishments registered in the city are considered big establishments.
Currently, over 20 establishments have already signified their readiness to be inspected.
To qualify for the safety seal, they have to comply with the requirements to include their compliance to the regulation of accreditation requirements, use of StaySafe.ph, UswagTracer application, or any contact tracing tool and enforcement of the minimum public health standards.
Those who are willing to apply may email their application to [email protected].
Source: Philippines News Agency
