The Philippines’ Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) rejected the executive order signed by Cebu Province Gov. Gwen Garcia that makes it optional for the public to wear face masks outdoors if they don’t have COVID-19 symptoms.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday refused to recognize the executive order warning those who will not wear face masks outdoors will be apprehended or even arrested by police.
The DILG also reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte’s stance that the mask mandate should prevail until his term ends on June 30 and violating the guidelines set by the government’s pandemic task force on the wearing of face masks, as well as the minimum public health standards (MPHS) in the province of Cebu will be dealt strictly.
“[T]his Department does not recognize the Executive Order issued by Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia because we have the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) Guidelines approved by the President. The Philippine National Police will continue to confront, apprehend, and arrest, if necessary, all violators of IATF Guidelines and MPHS in the Province of Cebu,” Año said in a statement.
“The President has directed that we will continue to wear face masks except under circumstances defined by [IATF],” he added.
Current IATF protocols allow only for specific instances when masks can be taken off, “such as when eating or during certain well-ventilated sports and activities,” added Año.
The DILG reminded the public and all local government units (LGUs) that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over.”
“Our adherence to [MPHS] is the key to defeating this pandemic. Wearing of face masks, together with vaccination and boosters have helped keep our COVID-19 case counts low despite the detection of new sub variants,” he said.
“Scientific evidence worldwide proves that the use of face masks reduces the transmission not only of COVID-19, but also of other infectious and respiratory diseases including Monkeypox, should it reach our country.”
Individuals can still catch the virus, most especially our senior citizens and vulnerable population. We should therefore be vigilant, continue our adherence to all MPHS and get vaccinated or boosted immediately,” he added.
