Quezon City businesses urged: Secure safety seal certification

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte yesterday encouraged business establishments in the city to comply with the Safety Seal certification program initiated by the national government to ensure public health and safety amid the pandemic.

Belmonte joined Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Trade Undersecretary Ireneo Vizmonte and Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya during the launch of the QC Safety Seal Certification at SM City North EDSA.

“We hope our businesses will take this as an opportunity to prove that they carry out the necessary measures to ensure the safety of their customers,” she said.

“And in turn, we expect that this will increase customer confidence and positively affect everyone’s livelihood and our economy,” Belmonte added.

She earlier signed an executive order enjoining all establishments to apply for and display a Safety Seal as proof of their compliance with the minimum public health protocols such as the use of accredited contact tracing app KyusiPass.

Through the executive order, the city government adopted the joint circular issued by the national government mandating local government units to create a safety seal certification committee that will inspect and verify the eligibility of registered business establishments that wish to take part in the program.

The program covers malls, wet markets and other retail stores; restaurants, fastfood chains, coffee shops and eateries; banks, pawnshops, money changers and remittance centers; car washes; and laundry service centers.

The following establishments may also secure the Safety Sela: art galleries, libraries, museums and zoos; sports centers, gyms and spas; tutorial, testing and review centers; and cinemas and arcades.

Belmonte said there are two ways by which establishments can secure the seal: “First, they can apply via our no-contact online procedure. Or in the course of our regular day-to-day monitoring, the inspection team may verify the eligibility of the inspected establishment for issuance of the Safety Seal.”