Salons, barbershops in Balanga compliant with health protocols

BALANGA CITY -- Salons and barbershops operating in Balanga City are compliant with the minimum health standards as inspected by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

An inspection team from DTI Bataan led by Provincial Director Nelin Cabahug conducted today a surprise on-site monitoring on the compliance of three salons and barbershops within the city on the health and safety standards against the transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“They were all compliant as we have seen, and they assured to us that they have met the required minimum health protocols as set by DTI,” Cabahug said.

DTI has observed that foot bath with disinfectants, thermal scanner, and alcohol were all available upon entrance of each customer. A logbook is also present on recording the name, address and contact number of every client in case of contact tracing procedures.

Posters were already available at the entrance of each establishment reminding clients about the mandatory wearing of face mask, social distancing protocols, policy against bringing of companions, and other safety pr ot ocol s.

Also, haircutters, barbers and other employees were all seen wearing proper protective equipment, regularly sanitizing their tools, sterilizing their workstation after every client, and were not wearing any pieces of jewelry.

On one of the inspected barbershops, clients were observed using plastic bags instead of towels during the haircut service.

“In that way, using disposable equipment will prevent the possible transmission of the virus and will protect both succeeding clients and the employees,” Cabahug added.

The DTI official encouraged owners and managers to have alternative methods of payment, such as use of electronic payment or cashless transactions, to further protect everyone from the possible spread of COVID-19.

With this, some inspected establishments expressed increase of rates as those in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) are allowed by the authorities to operate only 30 percent of their operational capacity to ensure that physical distancing is followed.

“Usually, we have 30 or even more clients a day before the quarantine, but as we resumed operations last June 7, we receive more or less ten clients daily because they are still afraid to go outside,” a receptionist of one of the inspected salons said.

Cabahug assured that operational capacity will be expanded to 50% as soon as Bataan is placed under Modified GCQ.

Visited establishments are only offering haircutting services as hair coloring, manicure, pedicure, facials, and waxing are still prohibited given the difficulty to impose physical distancing in those servi ces.

Cabahug stressed that they will continue to monitor other barbershop and salon establishments in the rest of Bataan on a regular basi s.