ILOILO City – The city government is ready to enforce President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive making the use of facemasks optional.
According to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, once the President issues an order making facemasks also optional in enclosed areas except in public transport, the city government will comply with the same.
Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has not decided yet whether to amend or suspend the Face Mask Ordinance which made mandatory the wearing of facemask in public places.
According to Councilor Ely Estante, author of the ordinance, he will move again to suspend the ordinance in their regular session next week.
On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Tourism secretary Christina Frasco announced that the President will make the use of facemasks in indoor settings voluntary “with few exceptions.”
This developed after Marcos presided over a Cabinet meeting at the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday morning.
During the meeting, Marcos approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to issue an executive order (EO) allowing the voluntary wearing of facemasks in indoor places, Frasco said in a Palace press briefing.
Frasco said the use of facemasks will still be required in public transportation, medical transportation and medical facilities.
Unvaccinated individuals, people with comorbidities and senior citizens are still “highly encouraged” to wear facemasks, she said.
“But generally, the direction of the Marcos administration is to lift the remainder of travel restrictions into the Philippines, and that includes easing of our mask mandates to allow our country to be at par with our Asean neighbors [which] have long liberalized the mask mandates,” the Tourism secretary said.
In September, Marcos signed EO 3, allowing the voluntary wearing of facemasks in outdoor settings, particularly in open spaces and non-crowded areas with good ventilation.
EO 3, however, still requires the use of facemasks in indoor, private or public establishments, including in public transportation by land, air or sea and in outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Frasco, however, did not mention when Marcos will sign the new EO allowing the voluntary use of facemasks in indoor settings. (With reports from PNA)/PN