Metro Manila mayors unanimously voted on Wednesday night to prohibit minors from going outside of their homes, including going to malls, as the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID19) remains.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia said all the 17 mayors in the National Capital Region (NCR) voted to disallow children aged 17 years old and below to leave their residence.
“Unanimous po, 17-0 mayors will not allow minors to go out,” Garcia said in a virtual press briefing Thursday.
The MMDA official said the decision was made after Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS), Inc. recommended the prohibition of minors from going out and entering shopping malls this holiday season because it is still dangerous.
Garcia noted that minors are only allowed to leave their homes for essential purposes such as doctor’s appointment.
On Monday, President Duterte decided to keep Metro Manila under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the year.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF) had earlier relaxed age restrictions in areas under community quarantine by allowing residents belonging to age group 15 to 65 years to leave their homes.
But the Metro Manila Council (MMC), the governing and policymaking body of the MMDA composed of all the Metro mayors, agreed to only allow residents aged 18 to 65 years old to be outside this month.
“This December, NCR is under GCQ status, only 18 to 65 years old are allowed to go outside,” Garcia clarified.
The mayors failed to come up with a decision during its meeting on Tuesday night on the matter of allowing minors to go outside.
Garcia said the local chief executives chose to wait for the recommendations of health experts and come up with a resolution based on facts presented to them.
Go to MGCQ areas – Roque
As Metro Manila mayors ruled that minors will not be allowed outside of residence, including inside shopping malls, Malacañang advised parents to look for nearby areas under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) where they could visit with their children, especially during the holidays.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Metro Manila mayors unanimously decided to prohibit children from entering malls after the recommendation of health experts.
In his Thursday presser, Roque said the decision was really up to local government units (LGUs).
The IATF has given LGUs the authority to decide on the age group of people allowed to go outside their homes.
“Well, sorry po. It is within the powers of Metro Manila mayors to impose this (the ban),” he said.
“Yung naging decision po ng Metro Manila Council na pagbawalan muna ang 18 and below, 'yan naman po ay sang-ayon din sa discretion na binigay ng IATF sa mga lokal na pamahalaan (The decision of the Metro Manila council to prohibit those 18 years old and below is according to the discretion given to LGUs by the IATF),” he added.
According to Roque, families can visit nearby MGCQ areas instead as long as they comply with the requirements set by the LGUs.
He added that visiting MGCQ areas will help the economy.
“Ensure na lang po siguro na kung mayroong malapit na MGCQ area, tignan niyo kung ano yung status ng pagpasok ng mga kabataan sa malls (Let's just ensure that if there is a nearby MGCQ area, check if they are allowing children in malls),” he said.
“Kung allowed, pwede naman pong bumisita dahil hindi na rin po nire-restrict ang GCQ at MGCQ (If it is allowed, you can visit them because GCQ and MGCQ areas have lesser restrictions),” he added.
“Kinakailangan na nga po natin buhayin na natin ang mga negosyo, untiunti nang magkaroon na ng hanapbuhay ang ating mga kababayan (We need to gradually revive the businesses so people can work),” he continued. (With a report from Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)