ILOILO City – Eight establishments here and one in Pavia, Iloilo, were given Safety Seal by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for their compliance with the minimum public health standards (MPHS).
The seals were given on June 17.
“This is a voluntary certification scheme, in a sense that we do not require establishments. But if you have this Safety Seal, this is an affirmation that they are compliant with the minimum public health standards set by the government,” according to DTI Iloilo director Judith Degala on Tuesday.
Aside from DTI, the departments of labor, tourism, health, and the interior and local government, plus the local government units, are carrying out the Safety Seal inspection and assessment.
DTI’s jurisdictions include supermarkets, groceries, membership shopping clubs, convenience stores, hardware stores, logistics service outlets, barbershops and salons, and service and repair shops.
Establishments that wanted to apply can do a self-assessment by opening the website dti.gov.ph/safety seal.
The requirements, according to Degala, are registration documents, compliance to minimum public health standards to include screening or triage area, no-contact temperature check, isolation area, handwashing station, observance of physical distancing, disinfection protocol, wearing of facemask or face shield, and other protective outer garments, referral of medical system for medical and psychosocial services, and yellow bins for proper handling of infectious wastes.
“The head office evaluates the application and downloads the pre-screened establishments to the regional office for distribution to provincial offices,” she added.
As of Tuesday, a total of 24 applications have been downloaded to DTI provincial office in Iloilo. Of these, nine were issued certifications, two are for reassessment, and 13 are pending inspection.
Since the certification is voluntary, those without safety seals can continue to operate, but they should comply with the MPHS.
“The minimum health protocol could not be compromised regardless if they are certified or not,” Degala said.(PNA/PN)
