When cinemas reopen following the government’s decision to allow them to operate under a more relaxed alert level 3, a department of the interior and local government (DILG) official said on Thursday, Oct 14.
DILG Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the decision to place Metro Manila on Alert Level 3 from October 16 to 31 included the reopening of cinemas in the National Capital Region (NCR). Cinemas in Metro Manila are permitted to reopen at 30% capacity for fully vaccinated individuals under alert level 3.
According to Malaya, a large number of stakeholders, including minor and major cinema operators, are overjoyed at the recent announcement of the resumption of cinema operations.
Under alert level 3 areas, cinemas will adhere to a 30% occupancy rate for the total number of seating capacities within a cinema hall, with a seat between two moviegoers left vacant or empty to maintain social distance.
The Cinema Exhibitor Association of the Philippines (CEAP) previously stated that they developed a set of health protocols to ensure the safe reopening of cinemas during the ongoing pandemic.
“Kapag nagbukas tayo dapat one seat apart (from moviegoers), tapos nanunood ng sine naka-mask ‘yung mga nanunood ng sine naka-mask ‘yung mga nanunood.” Tapos wala munang kakain (When operations resume, we should sit one seat apart for the time being. And then moviegoers will be required to wear face masks while watching films. Consumption will be prohibited),” CEAP President Charmaine Bauzon stated.
Bauzon emphasized that when theaters reopen, employees will be required to follow basic health protocols such as hand washing.
Since March 2020, cinemas have been closed due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infecting the country, resulting in an estimated P21 billion in revenue losses for the industry.
Malaya noted that while some business organizations have pushed for a more relaxed quarantine protocol in light of the loosened NCR restrictions, a few industries remain prohibited from opening under alert level 3.
The DILG spokesperson stated that the decision to elevate Metro Manila to alert level 3 was made in light of the increased COVID-19 case count.
Malaya, on the other hand, urged the public not to relax their guard and to adhere to all applicable health and safety regulations.
“While some areas of the country remain at high risk, the majority are now at moderate risk,” Malaya noted.
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Movies to Watch as Cinemas Reopen in Metro Manila
If you are one of those moviegoers who definitely miss the ambiance of cinema halls while watching on the big screen your most favorite and raved about local and international celebrities, then prepare your own to-watch list as cinemas opens again.
If you’ve been waiting to watch any of the new Marvel films that premiered in the Philippines in 2021, here’s some good news: The Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP) revealed in a post that five Marvel 2021 films will be released in the Philippines soon.
A few of the most anticipated and missed out movies for this year are probably the Marvel hero films which fortunately will be lined up in Philippine cinemas soon. Well, here are the few most anticipated Marvel movies to watch as cinemas open in the Metro.
Black Widow
In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller “Black Widow,” Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts her darker side when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past emerges. Pursued by an adversary who will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must confront her past as a spy and the broken relationships she left behind long before becoming an Avenger.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings
Simu Liu stars as Shang-Chi in Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.” When he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization, Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he had left behind. Along with Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, and Ronny Chieng, the film stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-friend Chi’s Katy, and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Eddie Brock is still battling the shape-shifting extraterrestrial Venom for coexistence. When Cletus Kasady, a deranged serial killer, also becomes host to an alien symbiote, Brock and Venom must set aside their differences to put an end to his reign of terror.
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Eternals
Marvel Studios’ Eternals introduces an exciting new team of Marvel Cinematic Universe Super Heroes: ancient aliens who have been secretly residing on Earth for thousands of years. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, an unexpected tragedy forces them to emerge from hiding in order to unite against humanity’s most ancient adversary, the Deviants.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
For the first time in Spider-cinematic Man’s history, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and unable to distinguish between his everyday life and the high-stakes of being a Super Hero. When he seeks assistance from Doctor Strange, the stakes rise even higher, compelling him to contemplate what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
Among the five Marvel films mentioned, Black Widow is the most recent, having premiered last July 9 in other countries. If all goes well, Filipino filmgoers will have the opportunity to see Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home in time for their global premiere dates.
Apart from the five Marvel films mentioned, CEAP also announced the upcoming release of James Bond film No Time to Die in the Philippines. This comes after the IATF permitted cinemas in areas designated as Alert Level 3 to reopen, on the condition that they limit indoor capacity to 30% and allow only fully vaccinated individuals to enter.
Apart from physical separation, CEAP President Charmaine Bauzon notes that moviegoers must always wear masks and are not permitted to eat inside the theater.
Stay Indoors as Much as Possible
Even cinemas will reopen soon as well as theme parks, public must still continue to complete vaccination procedures and mitigate infections through proper adherence to health and safety protocols. Ultimately, if we can be able to find these premieres through online video hosting sites to become safer from contacting the virus these days; health officers recommend such way rather than going outdoors while virus remains inevitable.
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