ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) amended the Iloilo City Face Mask Ordinance to conform to the executive order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. making optional wearing of facemask.
During its regular session on Thursday, Nov. 3, the city council approved the amendment of Regulation Ordinance No. 2020-061 or mandatory wearing of facemask or face covering in public during a pandemic/epidemic period and made it now optional.
“It was agreed nga imbes nga suspension, i-amend na lang kay may mga provisions sa executive order nga may dapat pa magsuksok sang facemask,” said Councilor Ely Estante.
According to Estante, author of the ordinance, they amended Section 3, specifically the prohibited acts. It provides wearing of facemask is still required when inside all types of public transportation as well as health care facilities including but not limited to clinics, hospital, dialysis center, clinics, ambulance, medical transport vehicles, and among others.
Violators of this provision will be fined with P500 and a community service.
The amended ordinance also encouraged the continued wearing of facemask among elderly, individuals with co-morbidities, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, unvaccinated individuals, and asymptomatic individuals.
Estante stressed that while wearing of facemask is now optional, the public must still instill the importance of wearing facemask especially that COVID-19 infection still exists as well as other airborne diseases.
“If you are after your health… makabulig gid ang facemask sa aton,” he said./PN
