The Makati City local government announced on Monday, Nov. 15, that fully vaccinated guests are now allowed to attend the city's "Mask Wedding" programs.
In a Facebook post, the local government unit (LGU) said that wedding participants may now bring a maximum of six fully vaccinated guests to attend their wedding celebrations. It also reminded the guests to present their vaccination cards before entering the wedding venue.
Those who wish to apply for the "Mask Wedding" must follow the following guidelines:
1. Submit the wedding requirements to the City Civil Registration Office (CCRO);
2. Pay the P100 fee and attend the Family Planning Seminar to be conducted by the Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD);
3. Apply for marriage license at the CCRO;
4. After completing the process, the CCRO will then endorse the documents to the Office of the Mayor (OM);
5. Makati City Mayor Abby Binay will provide the schedule of the wedding and a staff from the OM will contact the participants for their schedule.
The city government explained that the move was made following the high vaccination rate of Metro Manila and the continuing decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in Makati City.
On Nov. 1, OCTA Research said that all LGUs in the National Capital Region (NCR) are now classified as low-risk for the virus. It added that three cities, namely Navotas, Caloocan, and Malabon, are now tagged as very low-risk.
Since the pandemic started in 2020, a lot of celebrations and social gatherings, such as weddings, have been prohibited to ensure that public health and safety protocols will be observed especially amid the threat of the more contagious Delta variant.
However, a number of cities in Metro Manila like San Juan City and Mandaluyong City, have conducted weddings while continuously observing the proper health protocols.