‘Al Fresco’ Dining Booms in PH amid COVID-19

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the country’s economy, al fresco dining has become the new “in” for restaurants as they try to answer the demand for food in the country while trying to survive and continue to operate.

Outdoor dining has now become the sought-after form of dining in the country as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is now in favor of outdoor, non-contact form of activities. So much so that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said that these forms of activities and businesses will become a booming business model in the future.

The trade chief said that they also favor outdoor activities that will not breach protocols on mass gatherings.

“Ang bagong business model ngayon ay outdoor. ‘Pag outdoor sila, non-contact–pwedeng gawin ‘yon” Lopez said.

As the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble now reverts to the less strict General Community Quarantine (GCQ), the trade chief said that the restrictions of the NCR Plus bubble will still be more strict compared to the GCQ restrictions of other regions in the Philippines.

Several businesses that were allowed during last year’s GCQ in Metro Manila will still not be allowed in the region’s GCQ of this year.

Dine-in services for restaurants, gyms, meeting areas, massage and facial parlors will not be allowed in the NCR Plus bubble GCQ. (GFB)