Nograles: Wearing of face masks not needed when driving alone

MANILA, Philippines — Drivers do not need to wear face masks when they are driving alone, Cabinet Secretary Karlos Nograles reiterated on Tuesday, following a pronouncement from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) that wearing face masks are required in public and private vehicles.

Citing an advisory from the Department of Health (DOH), Nograles, who co-chairs the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), said that “those driving alone may remove their masks while inside their vehicle.”

“I think that is only logical; if there is no one in the vehicle with you, you cannot infect anyone else,” he said in a statement.

Nograles’ reminder came after the LTO said passengers of a vehicle must wear a face mask regardless if they are from the same household.

Not wearing face masks while driving could now be considered an instance of “reckless driving,” LTO Law Enforcement Service Acting Director Clarence Guinto said.

“When you drive a vehicle, kapag may kasama ka at wala kang face mask, that is equivalent to reckless driving,” he said in an earlier radio interview over dZMM.

READ: PNP clarifies: No mask apprehension for solo drivers applies only if windows are open

Nograles said that while quarantine restrictions are gradually being eased and the roll out of the government’s Covid-19 vaccination program is forthcoming, citizens must not be complacent, as everyone still has to their part to stop the spread of the deadly respiratory disease.

“Kailangan natin magtulungan (We need to work together),” he said.

JE