MANILA – Malacañang has backed the government’s decision to allow minors to visit malls as long as they were accompanied by their parents as the country aims to revive economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday said local government units would issue guidelines to ensure that children will not become “super-spreaders” of COVID-19.
“Tayo talaga ‘yung naging super restrictive pagdating sa movement, kaya po binubuksan na po,” Roque in a virtual press conference. “Kaya nga po ang isang basic requirement [ay] dapat kasama nila ang kanilang mga magulang.”
“It’s really to invite families to visit the malls again dahil ngayon po talaga maski tayo nagluwag na, maluluwag po talaga ang mga malls. Talagang hindi po lumalabas pa rin ang ating mga kababayan,” he added.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said minors can finally go to the malls this holiday season.
“Para na rin po sa kapaskuhan ay dun sa ipinagutos natin na pwede ng gradual expansion ng age group para makalabas, ang mga minors, basta accompanied ng mga magulang ay papayagang makalabas at makapunta sa malls,” Ano said.
“Ito ay pagtitibayin sa mga ordinansa ng ating mga mayors dun sa lugar ng general community quarantine (GCQ),” he added. Among the areas under GCQ for the entire month of December are the National
Capital Region, Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan and Davao City. The rest of the country will be under the more relaxed modified general community quarantine.
Meanwhile, Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Cesar Hawthorne Binag clarified that local ordinances are still needed in allowing minors to visit malls in this period of quarantine./PN
