At the outset, it is important to emphasize that the Omnibus Guidelines still requires strict home quarantine in all households, and the movement of all residents shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in permitted offices or establishments. Any person below 21 years old, those who are 60 years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidities, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services or for work in permitted industries and offices. [Below is the general list. For the per category list, see Detailed Categories I-IV; See also Updated List, per Revised Omnibus Guidelines]
However, the following establishments are allowed to operate with a skeleton workforce (the operation capacity which utilizes the smallest number of people needed for a business or organization to maintain its basic function), unless a different operational capacity is provided. Transit by permitted persons to and from the exempted establishments anywhere within the area covered by ECQ are allowed. The list is based on the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines issued on 29 April 2020 by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
CARGO
The movement of cargo vehicles shall be unhampered. [See ID and related rules]
AGRICULTURE, FARMING AND FISHING
Industries involved in agriculture, forestry, fishery and their workers, including farmers, Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs), fisherfolk, and agri-fisheries stores, and such other components of the food value chain, at full operational capacity.
FOOD, MEDICINE AND OTHER ESSENTIAL GOODS/SERVICES
Essential goods and services cover health and social services to secure the safety and well-being of persons, such as but not limited to, food, water, medicine, medical services, public utilities, energy and others as may be determined by the IATF.
Private establishments and their employees involved in the provision of essential goods and services, and activities in the value chain related to food and medicine production, such as but not limited to:
- Public markets
- Supermarkets
- Grocery stores
- Convenient stores
- Laundry shops
- Food preparation establishments insofar as take-out and delivery services
- Water-refilling stations
- Hospitals
- Medical, dental, and optometry clinics
- Pharmacies, and drug stores
For dental procedures, the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) by dentists and attendants shall be mandatory, with strict observance to infection prevention and control protocols.
Veterinary clinics are also allowed to operate.
MANUFACTURING OF FOOD PRODUCTS AND MEDICINE
The manufacturing and processing plants of the following are allowed to operate during the ECQ:
- Basic food products
- Medicine and vitamins
- Medical supplies, devices and equipment
- Essential products, such as but not limited to: (1) soap and detergents; (2) diapers; (3) feminine hygiene products; (4) toilet papers and wet wipes; and (5) disinfectants.
Establishments involved in the production, manufacturing, packaging, processing, and distribution of food may operate at a maximum of 50% of their respective workforces. However, if the supply level of a basic food product warrants a higher capacity, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is authorized to approve the temporary increase of workforce capacity.
Manufacturers of medicines, medical supplies, devices and equipment, including but not limited to suppliers of input, packaging, and distribution, shall be allowed to operate at full capacity.
DELIVERY SERVICES
Delivery services, whether in-house or outsourced, and transporting of the following are allowed during ECQ:
- Food
- Medicine
- Other essential goods
- Clothing and accessories
- Hardware
- Housewares
- School and office supplies
- Pet food and other veterinary products
BANKS AND SIMILAR ENTITIES
Banks, money transfer services, microfinance institutions, excluding pawnshops not performing money transfer, and credit cooperatives, including their armored vehicle services, if any.
CAPITAL MARKETS
Capital markets, including but not limited to the: (1) Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; (2) Securities and Exchange Commission; (3) Philippine Stock Exchange; (4) Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corporation; (5) Philippine Securities Settlement Corporation; and (6) Philippine Depository and Trust Corporation.
POWER, ENERGY, FUEL
Energy companies, their third-party contractors and service providers, including employees involved in electric transmission and distribution, electric power plant and line maintenance, electricity, electricity market and retail suppliers, as well as those involved in the exploration, operations, trading and delivery of coal, oil, crude, or petroleum and by-products (gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, jet oil, kerosene, lubricants), including refineries and depots or any kind of fuel used to produce electricity.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Telecommunications companies, internet service providers, cable television providers, including those who perform indirect services such as the technical, sales, and other support personnel, as well as the employees of their third-party contractors doing sales, installation, maintenance and repair works.
BPOs and EXPORT-ORIENTED COMPANIES
Business process outsourcing establishments (BPOs) and export-oriented business with work-from-home, on-site or near-site accommodation, or point-to-point shuttling arrangements. For this purpose, BPOs and their service providers and export-oriented businesses shall be allowed to install and transport the necessary work-from-home equipment, to enhance their operations by deploying their workers under on-site or near-site accommodation arrangements, or provide pint-to-point shuttle services from their near-site accommodations to their offices;
AIRLINES, SHIPT CAPTAINS
Airline and aircraft maintenance employees, including pilots and crew, and ship captains and crew.
MEDIA
Media establishments, at a maximum operational capacity of 50% of their total permanent staff complement as registered under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), inclusive of reporters and other field employees, as accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office.
ESSENTIAL PROJECTS, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE
Essential projects, whether public or private, such as but not limited to quarantine and isolation facilities for Persons under Monitoring (PUMs), and suspect and confirmed COVID-19 patients, facilities for the health sector including those dealing with PUMs, and suspect and confirmed COVID-19 patients, facilities for construction personnel who perform emergency works, flood control, and other disaster risk reduction and rehabilitation works, sewerage projects, water service facilities projects, as well as priority private construction projects defined as those that refer to food production, agriculture, fishery, fishport development, energy, housing, communication, water utilities, manufacturing, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) shall likewise be allowed to operate in accordance with guidelines issued by the DPWH. [As amended by IATF Resolution No. 34, series of 2020, dated 8 May 2020]
CONSTRUCTION MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS
Manufacturing companies and suppliers of equipment or products necessary to perform construction works.
UTILITY WORKS IN GOVERNMENT PROJECTS
Workers accredited by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to work on utility relocation works, and specified limited works across thirteen (13) railway projects, including replacement works for the Metro Manila Rail Transit System Line 3. Provided, that where applicable, on-site or near-site accommodations and/or point-to-point shuttle services should be arranged;
POSTAL SERVICE
Employees of the Philippine Postal Corporation at a capacity necessary to maintain the prompt delivery of services to its clients.
FUNERAL, EMBALMING AND NECROLOGICAL RITES
Funeral and embalming services. Provided, that funeral service operators are directed to provide shuttling services and/or housing accommodations for their personnel and staff.
Pastors, priests, imams, or such religious ministers whose movement shall be related to the conduct of necrological or funeral rites. In this connection, immediate family members of the deceased from causes other than COVID-19 shall be allowed to move from their residences to attend the wake or interment of the deceased upon satisfactory proof of their relationship with the latter and social distancing measures
SECURITY PERSONNEL
Security personnel are allowed to work during the ECQ.
HOTELS AND SIMILAR ESTABLISHMENTS
As a rule, NO hotels or similar establishments are allowed to operate. The following are the exclusive exceptions:
- a. For areas outsize Luzon, guests who have existing booking accommodations for foreigners as of May 1, 2020;
- b. Guests who have existing long-term bookings;
- c. Distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and stranded Filipinos or foreign nationals;
- d. Repatriated OFWs in compliance with approved quarantine protocols;
- e. Non-OFWs who may be required to undergo mandatory facility-based quarantine; and
- f. Health workers and other employees from exempted establishments under these Omnibus Guidelines and applicable Memoranda from the Executive Secretary.
In all of the foregoing, hotel operations shall be limited to the provision of basic lodging to guests.
PAYROLL PROCESSING
Government offices and private corporations are encouraged to process payrolls online. However, for those who cannot, payroll managers, and such other employees that may be required to process payrolls and print payrolls shall be allowed to travel and operate covering the periods of ECQ.
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
All agencies and instrumentalities of the government, including GOCCs, as well as LGUs, especially health and emergency frontline, border control, and other critical services, as well as government vehicles.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), at a capacity necessary to conduct data gathering and survey activities related to COVID-19 and the registration and implementation of the national identification (ID) system.
HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS
Humanitarian assistance personnel from civil society organizations (CSOs), non-government organizations (NGOs), and United Nations-Humanitarian Country Teams, as well as individuals performing relief operations to augment the government’s response against COVID-19 and other disasters or calamities that may occur. Provided, that they are authorized by the appropriate government agency or LGU.
EMBASSIES AND SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS
Officials and employees of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), whenever performing diplomatic functions and subject to the guidelines issued by the DFA.
CO-EQUAL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
The co-equal or independent authority of the legislature (Senate and House of Representatives), the judiciary (the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and the lower courts), the Office of the Ombudsman, and the constitutional commissions to operate and accredit their skeleton workforces, or implement any other alternative work arrangements, is recognized.
PREVIOUS EXEMPTIONS
Other exemptions from the home quarantine requirement through previous IATF resolutions or issuances by the Office of the President shall be honored.
IDs AND RELATED RULES
Public transportation is suspended. This notwithstanding, commissioned shuttle services for employees of permitted offices or establishments, as well as point-to-point transport services provided by the government for healthcare workers including frontline and emergency personnel, are allowed to operate.
Mass gatherings such as but not limited to, movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment activities, community assemblies, religious gatherings, and non-essential work gatherings shall be prohibited.
Physical classes (schools) at all levels shall be suspended for the duration of the ECQ.
Regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over permitted establishments or persons are likewise tasked to issue official IATF accreditation IDs. However, bona fide IDs issued by establishments exempted from the strict home quarantine requirement must likewise be honored by law enforcement agencies.
Agencies and their regional offices in the executive branch are hereby directed to issue accreditation, office, or travel orders to identify their respective skeleton workforces for critical services operating for the duration of the ECQ. Bona fide IDs issued by the respective agencies are sufficient for movement within the contained areas. Skeleton workforces may use official agency vehicles.
RapidPass system shall be complementary to the existing IATF IDs issued by the member-agencies which shall continue to be honored in all quarantine checkpoints. Enrollment for RapidPass IDs shall be voluntary and shall only cover qualified private sector entities or persons. The movement of cargo vehicles shall be unhampered. Cargo vehicles as well as vehicles used by public utility companies, BPOs, and export-oriented establishments shall not be subject to an ID system.
- Extension of Filing Periods and Suspension of Hearings for March 29 to April 4, 2021: SC Administrative Circular No. 14-2021 (Full Text) - March 28, 2021
- ECQ Bubble for NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal: Resolution No. 106-A (Full Text) - March 27, 2021
- Guidelines on the Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplaces (Labor Advisory No. 3) - March 12, 2021