game arcade centers
COVID-19

Health protocols for game arcade centers listed

Mar 6, 2021, 8:44 AM
Heloise Diamante

Heloise Diamante

Writer

Game arcades, which have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, are now allowed to operate once again.

AS the traditional indoor cinemas reopen, so will video and interactive game arcade centers.

The Department of Trade on Industry (DTI) in their memorandum circular No. 21-08 now allows a maximum of 50% operational capacity in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and 75% in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

Under the memorandum, game centers that are built for young children such as playlands, soft-play, playhouses, and closely-spaced game rooms like KTV rooms and stage-type videoke rooms will still be prohibited.

The layout of your favorite arcade center will also change as DTI mandates that machines must observe the 1-meter physical distancing requirement and benches be removed to avoid bystanders.

The full list of mandatory health and safety protocols for video and interactive game arcade is as follows:

1. Face masks and face shields shall be worn at all times while inside the arcade

2. Implementation of physical distancing of 1-meter apart within the store premises and at queueing areas

3. Employees and customers are required to scan the StaySafe PH QR Code posted at the entrance for contact tracing purposes.

a. In the absence of smartphones, they shall fill out an employee health declaration form or customer contact tracing form upon e

4. The maximum number of customers shall be posted at the entrance and strict control of customer inflow shall be observed

5. Separate entrance and exit points shall be implemented, and a queuing line outside the arcade with physical distancing markers shall be installed

6. Indoor air ventilation systems should conform to applicable protocols and standards

7. Operations of playlands, soft-play, playhouses, KTV rooms, and stage-type videoke rooms shall be prohibited

8. The layout of machines shall be arranged and safety barriers shall be installed to observe the 1-meter physical distancing requirement

9. Benches within the play area shall be removed to avoid attracting bystanders

10. Cashier booths shall not be placed near the entrance and exit

11. A waiting area for customers shall be designated 1-meter from the machine in case of repair or servicing

12. Sanitation areas shall be installed in accessible locations

13. Transaction processes shall be limited to short greetings and necessary instructions

14. Signages reminding customers to observe minimum health standards, avoid risky behavior such as shouting and talking loudly shall be posted within the arcade

15. Machines and other frequently touched surfaces shall be regularly sanitized after every use

16. Employees shall wear proper PPE, including both face mask and face shield, and shall practice proper handwashing during their duty

This, however, was met with opposition from Metro Manila Mayors even before the memorandum was released on March 2. Metro Manila Council (MMC) chair Edwin Olivarez said, "We have apprehensions about opening establishments in enclosed spaces, especially those that are fully air-conditioned, based on our consultations with health experts and our own epidemiology units, but reopening of open spaces, such as parks, we have no objection to those."

His statement comes after the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), the temporary government body in charge of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, on reopening not only cinemas and arcade but also driving schools, libraries, archives, museums, and cultural centers among others.

Olivarez also pointed out that children are not even allowed to go outside their residences under GCQ, implying that the arcades generally attract younger audiences. NCR, which is under GCQ until the end of March, only allows persons age 18 to 65 to go outside.

The opening of entertainment hubs should be studied to reopen at the soonest possible time rather than later. Not only are they a driving force to invigorate the economy back to life but also to support the mental health of Filipino workers.

Since the IATF resolution, local amusement company Timezone has retrofitted their Ayala Malls Feliz branch to follow the DTI mandatory health and safety protocols and is waiting for the approval of the local government unit.

They have already opened several branches in Tagaytay, Santa Rosa, Pangasinan, Lipa, and Malolos. If granted permission, Timezone Feliz will be the first entertainment arcade center to open in Metro Manila.

Last week, Bonifacio Global City announced their reopening of open parks to supervised minors. Also, the stretch of 5th Avenue in BGC will be car-free every Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 9 PM to allow alfresco dining, walking, and play.

For their safety, however, "dining inside restos or in alfresco areas is PROHIBITED for minors & seniors as of now, but they may order take-away." (HD)


We take a stand
OpinYon News logo

Designed and developed by Simmer Studios.

© 2024 OpinYon News. All rights reserved.