Horse racing, cockfighting not yet allowed, says Palace

June 9, 2020

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases still bars horse racing and cock fighting in the country as part of the measures to contain the spread of coronavirus disease, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

In a virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the decision was reached during the IATF meeting on Monday.

"During the meeting yesterday, (it was decided that) horse racing and cock fighting are still prohibited," he said.

Under Resolution No. 44, Roque also said the IATF approved the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture to formulate a joint memorandum circular or such other necessary issuances between and among the DA, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Interior and Local Government which shall strengthen the Local Price Coordinating Councils in adopting a whole of nation approach to price monitoring, price enforcement and price adjudication.

The task force also gave its nod on the recommendation of the Department of Science and Technology to include Sinovac Biotech Ltd. as potential collaborators of Philippine COVID-19 vaccine development and clinical trials.

The Philippine Board of Investment would also be part of the IATF technical working group on vaccine development, Roque added.

In the same press briefing, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said only hair cut service is allowed in salons in areas under general community quarantine, such as Metro Manila, "in the spirit of keeping the safety" of the public.

But he said in areas under modified GCQ, all salon services are allowed but up to 50 percent operating capacity and provided that strict minimum health protocol standard is followed.

There were calls to IATF that salon services in GCQ areas should not be limited to haircut only. Celerina Monte/DMS