The Department of Trade and Industry asked gyms and fitness centers to waive membership fees during the lockdown since members failed to fully utilize their facilities.
Members of fitness clubs should not be denied the use of gym facilities based solely on late or non-payment of fees for the period that theb facilities were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DTI said in a memorandum.
Penalties must also be waived, it said. For gyms that don't want to waive membership fees, the DTI urges that they instead "extend the validity of membership in proportion to the period when the establishment was not allowed to operate due to the COVID-19 pandemic."
"Advance membership fee payments may be applied to the succeeding months upon the resumption of the establishment's operations," the trade department said.
Gyms were only allowed to resume partial operations in August since the hard lockdowns imposed in March.
Franchisors of gyms and fitness centers are also encouraged by the DTI to waive royalty fees for franchisees for the period that such establishments were prohibited from operations.