Council wants executive order on face mask policy in the city

City officials requested the local chief executive to issue an appropriate order on the uniform implementation of the pertinent provisions of Executive Order (EO) No. 03, series of 2022 issued by former President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on the voluntary wearing of face masks by the people outdoors.

Under Resolution NO. 408, series of 2022, local legislators stated that there is a need for the city to adhere to the implementation of uniform policies governing the prevalence and extension of the state of public health emergency in the country to further combat the spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic while efforts are underway to gradually and safely revive the local economy.

Last September 12, 2022, President Marcos, through former Executive Secretary Victor D. Rodriguez, issued EO No. 03, series of 2022 allowing voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor settings and reiterating the continued implementation of minimum public health standards during the state of public health emergency on the COVId-19 pandemic.

The local legislative body passed ordinance No. 45, series of 2020 as amended by Ordinance No. 49, series of 2021 that amended Sections 1,4,5,6,7,8 and 9 of the former that mandated the wearing of face mask by all persons within the territorial jurisdiction of the city until the threat of the COVID-19 is completely eliminated or during the declared state of public health emergency and providing penalties for violation of the said measure.

The President also extended the validity of the state of public health emergency for another 3 months dating back to September 12, 2022 to allow the government to be able to access more vaccines and increase the number of citizens that have received the prescribed booster shots for them to be spared from contracting severe or critical infection.

The health department will be launching a week-long vaccination on September 26-29 to further increase the number of Filipinos that are vaccinated and boosted to be able to improve the herd immunity of the populace for them to be spared from contracting the deadly virus that might compromise their health condition. – Dexter A. See