The Davao City government will continue to allow barbershops and salons to open even though the updated omnibus guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) does allow them to operate under the current condition.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said she has allowed these establishments to continue operating to empathize with the workers.

“Wala nako gipasarad-an na kay dili man gud na puwede… pabag-o bag-o ba. Karon puwede, unya dili. Kung puwede, puwede, kung dili, dili (I did not order their closure because it must not keep on changing. Now it’s allowed, later it’s not. If it’s allowed or not, so be it),” she expressed.

Recall that under the first IATF Omnibus Guidelines of May 5, 2020, the two establishments were allowed to open.

“Luoy ang mga tao. Ang mga negosyante wala’y problema na sila but ang mga employees, mura gani’g hatag-bawi, hatag-bawi (I pity the people. There is no problem with the businessmen but it’s the employees – it’s already given and then take away again from them),” the mayor stressed.

She said that whatever is favorable to the employees is what the city will follow.

“So unsa’y favorable karon sa employee and sa worker, mao ang atoang sundon since duna’y DTI 20-22, May 5 to siya, and then nasultian na nato ang mga tao nga they are allowed based on that memorandum circular, wala na nato siya gibawi didto sa summary na gibuhat nato para sa mga tao sa May 22 version sa Omnibus Guidelines (Whatever is favorable for the employees is what we will follow. We have already informed the people that they are allowed to work according to the DTI Memorandum Circular 20-22 last May 5. We did not take back our word in the recent summary we release from the May 22 version of Omnibus Guidelines),” Mayor Sara said.

The summary of the updated IATF Omnibus Guidelines dated May 22, 2020 is accessible in the City Government of Davao Facebook page. CIO