‘There have been marked improvements in the nation’s capability to fight the pandemic, thus there are early moves by local government units which wanted to boost local tourism by revising the face mask policy.’
MALACAÑANG has announced that government’s COVID-19 pandemic body, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), has recommended that wearing face masks outdoors be done voluntarily, thereby ending the two-and-a-half-year mandate on compulsory use of face masks to fight the coronavirus.
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said wearing face masks was recommended as “optional” in open spaces, non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation. However, senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals are “highly encouraged” to continue wearing their masks.
Meanwhile, Department of Health officer-in-charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has given “verbal approval” to the IATF’s recommendation, although “this is not yet a policy.”
There have been marked improvements in the nation’s capability to fight the pandemic, thus there are early moves by local government units which wanted to boost local tourism by revising the face mask policy. One example is Cebu, where Gov. Gwen Garcia announced she is supporting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s position that wearing face masks should be “nonobligatory,” citing the same policy that Singapore has enforced. Reports said Singapore benefited from tourism surge because of its policy to do away with face masks.
Secretary Cruz-Angeles said the DOT gave a presentation showing that tourist volume increased in countries with less restrictive mask policies, adding that the matter is seriously being taken into consideration by the government. Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said the Philippines and Myanmar are the only members of ASEAN which still impose the mandatory use of face masks in and out of buildings.
Those opposed to the IATF recommendation pointed out that only about 72.3 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with more than 17.3 million receiving their first booster dose and more than 1.9 million having their second booster dose. There is danger in changing the basic preventive protocols against the pandemic, they said.
The government’s answer to this concern is the ramping up of booster shots distribution, with the declaration of Sept. 26 to 29 as Booster Shots day, and urging all government offices and agencies, LGUs and private organizations to participate. We are all in this together so support for this government activity is highly encouraged.
