Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 13) — The Department of Interior and Local Government on Monday said it will send a show cause order to Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia if rules on wearing of face masks outdoors will remain unaligned with the national government.
“That should be the last step, sending a show cause order to the good governor but in the meantime, we’ll have to ask our officials in the region to talk to the governor to make some adjustments in the executive order,” Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said in a public briefing.
“There’s a good intent by the executive order of Gov. Gwen but more importantly, we should most probably look into the details that it should be aligned with what is pronounced by the president,” he added.
Late last week, Gov. Garcia signed an executive order stating that face masks will only be mandated in closed and air-conditioned spaces and to people manifesting COVID-19 symptoms.
The government, including DILG Secretary Eduardo Año and Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier rejected this and stressed that all local governments should follow the guidelines of the Interagency Task Force as approved by the president.
“Ang direktiba po ay sitahin ‘yung ating mga kababayan na hindi nakasuot ng face mask. Kung may dalang face mask ‘yung ating kapulisan, bigyan po sila ng face mask,” Densing explained.
[Translation: The directive is to remind those not wearing face masks to wear theirs. If the police have face masks, they will be given one.]
He also clarified that the police and other persons of authority will only arrest those not wearing face masks outdoors if they really intend to disobey the rules.
Densing also said that the protocol is to still use face masks whether indoor or outdoor, especially in crowded places. The public can remove their masks when eating or participating in a sports event with good ventilation.
“In general terms, everybody should still continue to wear face masks. Hindi pa po nakalift ‘yung ating national public health emergency (at) meron pa ring various (COVID-19) variants of concern,” he stressed.
[Translation: The national public health emergency is yet to be lifted and there are still various COVID-19 variants of concern.]
