Residents in areas under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) are now required to wear face masks or other forms of protective equipment whenever they are outside of their homes.
This was announced on Thursday by Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who said that the move forms part of government efforts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
“Concerned LGUs are hereby enjoined to issue the necessary executive order or ordinance to that effect.”
In his daily IATF briefing, Nograles said the IATF in Resolution No. 18 “adopts the policy of mandatory wearing by all residents of face masks, earloop masks, indigenous, reusable or do-it-yourself masks, face shields, handkerchiefs, or such other protective equipment that can effectively lessen the transmission of COVID-19, whenever allowed to go out of their residences pursuant to existing guidelines issued by the national government.”
“Concerned LGUs (local government units) are hereby enjoined to issue the necessary executive order or ordinance to that effect, and impose such penalties as may be appropriate,” he added.
“Uulitin ko po: kung kailangan po natin lumabas ng ating bahay, kailangan po mag mask. Kahit improvised ito o panyo, basta po may pangtakip tayo ng bibig at ilong.”
(Allow me to stress that if we need to leave our homes, we need to wear masks. Even an improvised mask or handkerchief will do, as long as you have something to cover your mouth and nose.)
Nograles likewise appealed to establishments like supermarkets and groceries to extend their operating hours to a maximum of 12 hours to ensure that residents in ECQ areas will be able to secure needed supplies while practicing physical distancing protocols.
“Supermarkets, public and private wet markets, grocery stores, agri-fishery supply stores, pharmacies, drug stores, and other retail establishments engaged in the business of selling basic necessities are strongly encouraged to extend their store operations to a maximum of twelve (12) hours,” said Nograles.
“LGUs are directed to allow such establishments to operate pursuant to the foregoing. Provided that in the operation of wet markets, LGUs are encouraged to adopt reasonable schemes to ensure compliance with strict social distancing measures such as, but not limited to, providing for specific daily schedules per sector, barangay, or purok, as the case may be.”