The San Juan City government is now allowing its residents to engage in both indoor and outdoor contact sports, provided that health and safety protocols are followed.

Mayor Francis Zamora on Thursday said the city government has issued guidelines, under Executive Order FMZ-097, allowing contact sports such as basketball, to be conducted in the city amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the guidelines, only fully vaccinated residents, aged 12 and above, are allowed to join the contact sports or watch the games on site.

Players are allowed to remove face masks during the games, while audiences are required to wear face masks and follow the minimum public health standards at all times.

The maximum capacity for outdoor venues is at 70 percent while the indoor venues are at 50 percent capacity.

Before entering the venues, the organizers must check the vaccination cards and place temperature checkpoints.

Everyone in the venue is also required to fill up a contact tracing form.

Those who wish to organize contact sports or venue operators must obtain a permit from the Office of the mayor, Zamora said.

“Kailangang ideklara ng mga operator o organizers ang nature ng sports, bilang ng players, at haba ng paglalaro bago makakuha ng permit (Operators or organizers must declare the nature of sports, number of players and length of playing time before they can get the permit),” he added.

Those who will set up unorganized contact sports must get a permit from the barangay, he said.

Zamora reminded the public not to be complacent despite the lowering of restrictions in Metro Manila due to the decline of Covid-19 cases.

Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 until November 30.

Under Alert Level 2, the government will allow the increase of venue capacities for businesses and meeting activities such as restaurant dine-in, beauty salons and the like, recreational venues and religious gatherings, the opening of cinemas and movie houses, among others. (PNA)