P-BBM, pinayagan na ang boluntaryong pagsusuot ng face mask outdoor

ni Lolet Abania | September 12, 2022

Nilagdaan na ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ang Executive Order No. 3, kung saan pinapayagan na ang boluntaryong paggamit ng face mask sa labas o mga outdoor settings.

Ito ang inanunsiyo ngayong Lunes ni Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

“Naglabas po tayo today ng Executive Order No. 3, 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 relating to the COVID-19 pandemic,” pahayag ni Cruz-Angeles sa isang press briefing.

“Ito na po ‘yung ina-announce ng DOH na voluntary wearing of face masks outdoors, in non-crowded places, provided... kung kayo ay immunocompromised, seniors or hindi kumpleto ang bakuna, kailangan pa rin po mag-face mask or strongly encouraged ang face masks,” ani pa Cruz-Angeles.

Nakasaad sa EO3, “the voluntary wearing of face masks in open spaces and non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation is hereby allowed; provided that not fully vaccinated individuals, senior citizens, and immunocompromised individuals are highly encouraged to wear their masks and physical distancing will be observed at all times.”

Batay pa sa order, ang mga face masks ay dapat pa ring isuot, “in indoor, private or public establishments, including in public transportation by land, air or sea, and in outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.”

Ayon kay Cruz-Angeles, ang iba pang minimum public health standards, na layong maiwasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa bansa, ay nananatiling ipapatupad dahil sa aniya, tinatawag na principles of shared accountability, evidence-based decision making, socio-economic equity at rights-based approach.

Sinabi rin ng opisyal na ang Department of Health (DOH) ay inatasan na i-update ang minimum public health standards guidelines sa gitna ng ibinabang EO No. 3.

Ayon kay Cruz-Angeles, ang inisyung order ay epektibo kaagad.

“This order shall take effect immediately upon its publication in the OG (Official Gazette) or newspaper of general circulations,” saad ni Cruz-Angeles.

Nang tanungin ang kalihim kung ano ang nagtulak sa Pangulo na magdesisyon na gawing boluntaryo na ang pagsusuot ng face masks sa mga outdoor settings aniya, “He had imposed a condition and one of that is the establishment of the wall of immunity since we are 6% away from that then it’s time. So we're doing this in stages, in phases so that we can have feedback on whether or not these new policies are working and how to make them more efficient.”

“Hopefully, by the end of the year, we might be able to have a... to be voluntarily mask indoors as well,” dagdag pa ni Cruz-Angeles.