Metro Manila eases restrictions, allows clubs & bars to reopen with limited capacity

After experiencing a surge of covid cases during the holiday season up to the start of the New Year, the Philippine government relaxed its restrictions by lowering to Level 2 from February 1 to 15, allowing bars, clubs and other entertainment centres to reopen at varying capacity.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año shares: “This means we can open up economic activities and what we need is the individual responsibility to watch yourself, self-isolate and look for symptoms if you came into close contact [with Covid-infected persons. We will make adjustments in areas where we need to be strict.”

From averaging over 20,000 cases every day now thanks to the emergence of the Omicron variant, the country continues to log significantly lower cases at around 8,000 since February. Along with the latest update on operational policies, the archipelago recently re-opened its borders and declared lifting its hotel quarantine rules among all fully-vaccinated international arriving passengers.

"Border controls were meant to prevent the entry of Omicron. But the variant is already here, and we're already past border controls. What we should be doing now is strengthen community interventions,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire explains.

Under local alert Level 2, establishments are allowed to operate within 50-70% capacity depending on whether they are outdoors or indoors, and can only accommodate fully-vaccinated guests.

With the continued bout of the nightlife industry, the recent developments spark both hope and anxiety among club owners and patrons.

Producer and multi-instrumentalist Big Hat Gang shares: “I'm glad that events and nightlife scene are back, if malls and other industries are allowed to operate then so should cultural activities. But I'm still pretty apprehensive just for of my own safety, and being socially active might take some getting used to as well.”

His sentiments are echoed by nightlife photographer and multi-media designer, Aliver Cedillo, who infamously produced a line of apparel pre-pandemic called “Make Manila Dance Again”.

“I’m excited to see and talk to people in real life, not on screen but I’m still anxious to be in a closed space. I might need more time to get used to it but we’ll get there.”

The Philippine capital is set to see much more active communities leading up to the first weekend of February, particularly with more people keen to experience a slice of what they’ve been missing after dark. As to whether or not cases spike again after two weeks, the nightlife and events industry continues to be at the mercy of the ever-changing rules of its government.

[Images via MAFK, Reuters & UNKNWN]