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How Do You Feel About Optional Wearing of Face Masks Outdoors Mandate?
Yay or nay? Wearing face masks outdoors is now voluntary in the Philippines!
By: Mira Maestrecampo | September 19, 2022
Scrap the face mask outdoors? It seems that some Filipinos are still apprehensive about the new mask mandate.
Image: Unsplash
Wearing face masks outdoors, in open spaces, and in uncrowded areas with good ventilation is now voluntary in the Philippines, as officially announced by the national government last week.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has also approved the Executive Order (EO) allowing the voluntary use of face masks and still emphasizing the continuous implementation of the minimum public health and safety protocols in preventing the spread of COVID-19, all in effect immediately.
It also states under the EO that unvaccinated individuals who have not yet completed their first and second primary doses, immunocompromised individuals, and senior citizens are still highly persuaded to wear face masks. They are also required to strict adherence to the public minimum COVID-19 health protocols.
It should be noted that the recent mandate wearing of face masks optional is only applicable in uncrowded and outdoor places. Therefore, the public must wear face masks in indoor spaces, public establishments, and when riding public transportation.
The recent face mask mandate is also upon the recommendation of the Inter Agency-Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) as a response to the continuing decline of new cases in the Philippines.
In some areas in the Visayas, such as in Cebu City, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental, the mandate on the optional wearing of face masks outdoors is followed. Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama welcome the recent EO by the President with regards to the use of face masks.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. also welcomed the updated face mask mandate, allowing the voluntary use of face masks in outdoor areas in the Iloilo province.
In the province of Negros Occidental, the optional wearing of face masks has also been implemented through a local EO issued by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson. The EO said that wearing face masks in outdoor places within Negros Occidental is now an option for the public within the province.
Meanwhile, other parts of the Mindanao area, such as Davao City, strongly urge its residents to keep their face masks on even in outdoor places to be more cautious until the end of the year when COVID-19 cases decline more.
As for the Filipinos, most still refer to the use of face masks outdoors regardless of the recent mandate by the national government, according to a survey conducted by OCTA, an independent research group.
In the meantime, with this new face mask mandate in the Philippines, it is still up to each Filipino to protect himself and implement health precautions to prevent catching any illnesses or viruses such as COVID-19.
What is your take on this recent face mask mandate? Share your comments with us! We would love to hear from you.
Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Cebu and Bohol!
All details and information in this article are true and accurate as of the publication date. However, while we are making our utmost effort to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the condition surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be unpredictable, and the situation is developing rapidly. Hence, some information and recommendations may have changed since this article was published. For the latest advice, visit DOH and your LGU's official websites.
Sources:
[1] https://bit.ly/3eNtQrv
[2] https://bit.ly/3LiYwNy
[3] https://bit.ly/3LkgT4D
[4] https://bit.ly/3dlYVCn
[5] https://bit.ly/3ROYTC2
[7] https://bit.ly/3xuFBK9
[8] https://bit.ly/3UewPtr
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About Mira Maestrecampo
Mira - with a long surname - is a girl who dreams of becoming a news anchor someday, in God's perfect time. She loves to read books and eat different kinds of cheesy or saucy food. A coffee addict and a dog lover, she loves long hugs, hot coffee on an afternoon break with friends, or simply sleeping all day with her stuffed unicorns.
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Disclaimer: All articles in the Consumers Magazine of Yoorekka are
for general information and entertainment purposes only. Although
careful research has been made in writing them, Yoorekka does not
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information presented in our articles. Our content is not intended
to be used in place of legal, medical, or any professional advice.
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