(FILE) People continue to wear face masks as they attend the culmination of the National Service Training Program at the St. Francis of Assisi open grounds in the City of Naga in south Cebu on June 10, a day after Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia lifted the mandatory wearing of masks in open places in the province. —MARY GRACE OBERES
MANILA, Philippines — Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday urged Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to follow the government’s rule on the wearing of face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic as approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Año pointed out that the President has approved the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) guidelines which only allow the removal of masks in specific instances such as when eating or when present in well-ventilated sports and activities.
Año also noted that the President said the mandatory wearing of face masks will stay until the end of his term.
“Sana naman, ang ating hiling dito, sumunod siya sa Pangulo,” Año said of Garcia during a Teleradyo interview.
(We wish, and we hope that she follows the President.)
“Actually, ang sinusuway nila, hindi naman ang DILG, hindi rin naman IATF, kundi ‘yung executive order mismo ng ating Pangulo. At ngayon nagsalita na din ang ating Pangulo, patuloy pa din ang mandatory wearing of face masks, dapat sumunod out of respect,” Año added.
(Actually, they are not disobeying the DILG and IATF but the executive order of the President himself. And now that the President made a pronouncement that the wearing of face masks will stay, it should be followed out of respect.)
Garcia ordered Executive Order No. 16, issued on June 9, lifting the mandatory wearing of face masks in open and outdoor spaces.
Last Tuesday, the Cebu provincial board also adopted Garcia’s order through an ordinance.
In response, the DILG ordered the Philippine National Police to continue with the mask mandate enforcement in Cebu province.