FILE PHOTO: DILG Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. Photo from Facebook
According to Abalos, as suggested by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 3.
He also explained that various factors were considered in the signing of the measure, including the high vaccination rate in the country and eased face mask use policies in other countries that did not trigger an increase in COVID-19 cases.
“This is a well-calculated move from the government at pinag-aralan ng mga eksperto,” Abalos said in a statement.
(The new mask rule was a well-calculated move from the government and was studied by experts.)
Abalos stressed that the Department of the Interior and Local Government fully supports EO No. 3. He also reiterated that a face mask should still be worn indoors and in public transport.
“The Department is 100% behind President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. in the implementation of EO 3 on voluntary face mask use outdoors. But while the face mask policy has been made optional in the outdoors, the use of face masks in indoor public and private establishments and in public conveyances shall continue to be enforced, especially now that cases are on the uptick,” he said.
The DILG chief then urged local government units (LGUs) to take the lead in enforcing the mask mandate in closed spaces and public transportation.
“LGUs should, therefore, take the lead in ensuring compliance from the public to the indoor and public transport face mask rule in their respective areas,” he added.
Abalos further said he had directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to assist LGUs in ensuring that the public is observing the indoor and public transport face mask rule.
“LGUs and the PNP should coordinate closely in ensuring that the public continues to wear face masks indoors and in public transportation. [Unfortunately,] we are still in the middle of the pandemic, and we cannot let our guards down,” he noted.
The DILG chief said that despite EO No. 3, the participation of citizens and different sectors matters the most.
“But at the end of the day, ang pakikiisa pa rin ng ating mga kababayan at iba’t ibang sektor ang ating kailangan,” Abalos said.
(At the end of the day, the cooperation of our citizens and different sectors is what we need.) — Christian Paul Dela Cruz, trainee
RELATED STORIES
Voluntary face mask use outdoors is ‘a dangerously misguided policy’ – youth group
Face mask use now voluntary outdoors but…