Micro, small and medium enterprises have been given a minimum of 30-day grace period to pay their rent without any penalties amid the enhanced community quarantine being enforced in Luzon and other parts of the country, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said on Thursday.

IATF spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, in a virtual press briefing, said the Department of Trade and Industry will issue the necessary guidelines to implement the IATF directive.

"Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 11469 providing for a minimum of thirty (30)-day grace period on residential rents, a thirty (30)-day grace period is likewise hereby extended to commercial rents falling due upon micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within the period of the ECQ, without incurring interests, penalties, fees, and other charges," he said.

Nograles said the IATF is also urging stores selling basic necessities to extend their operations for a maximum of 12 hours daily to prevent overcrowding inside the establishments.

"Supermarkets, public and private wet markets, grocery stores, agri-fishery supply stores, pharmacies, drug stores, and other retail establishments engaged in the business of selling basic necessities are strongly encouraged to extend their store operations to a maximum of 12 hours," he said.

He said the local government units are directed to allow those establishments to operate pursuant to the IATF request.

"Provided that in the operation of wet markets, LGUs are encouraged to adopt reasonable schemes to ensure compliance with strict social distancing measures, such as, but not limited to, providing for specific daily schedules per sector, barangay, or purok, as the case may be," Nograles said. Celerina Monte/DMS