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MANILA, Philippines — More than discouraging the public from engaging in public displays of affection (PDA), authorities should be able to remind them to observe minimum health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said Friday.
“I think it’s against human nature,” Teodoro said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel when asked for comment on the Philippine National Police (PNP) discouraging the public from showing affection in public.
“More importantly, I think, is that we should be able to remind them [of] wearing face masks and face shields, because it’s based on study and as the experts have pronounced that it’s the best way of really protecting oneself from, from the virus,” the mayor added.
According to Teodoro, it is only natural to show affection with one another, most especially when they belong to one household.
Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro (Image from Marikina PIO Facebook)
The arguments raised before on allowing couples in the same household to ride the same motorcycle can also apply in this case, Teodoro pointed out.
“The same argument is the reason why we recognize the fact that it is our human nature and it’s natural if we belong to the same family, of course, that is natural,” Teodoro said.
“Halimbawa yung tatay, yayakapin at yayakapin yung anak niya e. Yung bata, yayakap talaga ito sa magulang niya e, lalo na kapag nasa labas. Of course, the instinct of the parent is to protect the child,” he added.
Asked if he will implement the policy in Marikina, Teodoro replied: “Not necessarily, I think having a penal implication, but we will remind people to observe at all times social distancing or physical distancing.”
Lt. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana, PNP spokesman, earlier said that even though commercial and recreational spaces have slowly been opened up, this doesn’t mean that the public can go dilly dallying and break social distancing protocols.