MMDA wants wearing of face masks to stay even in Alert Level 0

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MANILA, Philippines — Should the government decide to place Metro Manila under Alert Level 0, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) would still want the wearing of masks to remain mandatory, an official said Tuesday.

MMDA deputy chairman Frisco San Juan Jr. said this is to make sure that COVID-19 infections can still be avoided.

“Sa MMDA, ang nais namin na kung maaari ay magsuot pa rin ang taumbayan [ng masks] para makasiguro na hindi na tataas ang bilang ng insidente ng pagkakaroon ng infection,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(In MMDA, what we want is for people to continue wearing [face] masks to be sure that the number of infections will not increase.)

He was asked for the agency’s stance on proposals to make masks optional in public open spaces such as sidewalks and pathways.

San Juan, however, said that if the national government, particularly the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), will make masks optional, the MMDA will abide.

MMDA chairman Romando Artes earlier said Metro Manila mayors are “ready and willing” to implement Alert Level 0 in the region if it will be ordered by the IATF.

The Metro Manila Council, however, is still waiting for the guidelines and protocols under Alert Level 0 before it can discuss the possible deescalation of the metropolis.

Malacañang is expected to announce on Tuesday the new alert levels across the Philippines.

JPV