Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 19)— Metro Manila mayors are leaving it up to the national pandemic response task force to decide whether restrictions for minors outdoors will be imposed anew.
READ: Duterte urges LGUs to regulate entry of minors in malls
In a media forum on Friday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos confirmed that local chief executives approved the resolution deferring to the Inter-Agency Task Force the decision on the matter.
“The Metro Manila Council endorses the mobility restrictions on minors below 12 years old to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for its evaluation and consideration,” Abalos said, citing the newly-signed document.
Abalos stressed that the IATF is in the “best position” to make the recommendation, as they seek opinions from medical experts.
Earlier in the day, San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora told CNN Philippines that the NCR mayors met with Abalos, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua, and some representatives of the Department of Health to tackle the issue.
They primarily touched on a previous report about a two-year-old child who tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting a mall.
READ: DOH starts investigation into case of toddler’s COVID infection
Zamora, however, said the gathered data remain inconclusive, and no one can directly prove whether the infection should be linked to the commercial establishment.
“No one can really point out (how) the minor was infected,” he said. “So the decision of the Metro Manila mayors is to defer to the wisdom of the IATF because they have the experts, they have the economists, and it’s best they conduct further studies regarding this case.”
He added that any changes in policies will have a “tremendous” impact on the country’s economy, which has been hit hard last year.
Earlier this week, President Rodrigo Duterte urged local government units to limit the entry of unvaccinated minors in malls, especially those below 12 years old, to protect them from COVID-19.
The IATF earlier allowed minors in malls in Metro Manila after movement restrictions in the capital region shifted to the less strict Alert Level 2.
