ILOILO City – The city government will not impose any penalty to would-be violators of the executive order on the mandatory wearing of facemasks in indoor settings.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas issued Executive Order (EO) No. 048-2023 yesterday reiterating the continued implementation of minimum public health standards and mandating for this purpose mandatory wearing of facemasks in certain settings pursuant to the implementation of Alert Level (1) in the city.
Specifically, under the EO, facemasks shall continue to be worn for indoor private and public establishments, including in public transportation by land, air, or sea, and in outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Treñas said those caught not wearing facemask in the aforementioned areas will only be reprimanded.
“Sawayon ta lang,” he told Panay News.
The city mayor said the same goes to the establishments. They are just enjoined to comply with the order.
The EO is a reiteration of the earlier advisory of the Iloilo City Health Board regarding the voluntary and mandatory wearing of facemasks depending on the settings pursuant to the memorandum issued by the Department of Health.
Under the EO, voluntary wearing of facemasks will only be allowed in the following instances:
* Wearing of well-fitted facemasks is voluntary in open spaces and non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation; and
* Partially and unvaccinated individuals, high-risk individuals such as senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals are strongly encouraged to wear their well-fitted masks and continue to observe one-meter physical distancing at all times.
Iloilo City is currently under Alert Level 1, which means that COVID-19 case transmission is low and decreasing, and total bed utilization and intensive care unit utilization rates are low.
“…upon Iloilo City’s recent classification under Alert Level 1, there is a need to realign its policies with national guidelines and further strengthen its measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19,” read part of the EO.
The EO takes effect immediately unless the said period is extended or lifted earlier per latest issuance of the Inter-agency Task Force on the quarantine classification of the city./PN
