League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) national president and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo lauded on Wednesday, Sept. 14, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for coming up with a scheme that will enhance the country’s Covid-19 vaccination drive.
In an interview over GMA News, Tamayo admitted that the DILG had put tremendous pressure on the local government units (LGUs) by handing out incentives for them to improve on their Covid-19 vaccination output.
He noted that the national government had set-up guidelines to the LGUs for them to follow in a bid to enhance, strengthen, improve and outdo the competition in coming up with the highest Covid-19 vaccination percentage.
“Grabe ang pressure from national government. Meron na mga awards, meron na ginawang scheme ang DILG kung papaano pagandahin yung output ng vaccination rate natin (The pressure from the national government is immense. There are awards, the DILG came up with a scheme to improve our vaccination rate output),’’ Tamayo said.
The DILG had come up with this ploy after President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) No. 3 on Sept. 12 which allows the voluntary wearing of face masks in open spaces and non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation and reiterates the continued implementation of minimum public health standards.
However, the same EO states that face masks are still mandatory in indoor settings, public transportation by air, land, and sea; and in outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
In his home province, Tamayo explained that the people may opt not to wear face masks outdoors as mandated under EO No. 3 and since the country is under the state of emergency the local autonomy will be superseded by the directive of the national government pertaining to Covid-19.
The LPP chief explained that the ordinances carrying penalties for outdoor face masks wearing infractions can no longer be enforced “dahil nga optional na (outdoor wearing of face masks), direkta mismo sa Presidente ang order na meron tayo (since it is optional, the directive coming directly from the President that the order we have).’’
Tamayo pointed out that EO No. 3 is very clear stating that the optional wearing of face masks is only applicable in outside spaces ‘and even outside places if it is crowded required pa rin yung face mask (and even in crowded outdoor places wearing of face masks are still required).’
“So sa mga rooms, malls ay talagang titiyakin pa rin na nakasuot pa rin ng face mask. Sisiguraduhin natin na yung hindi crowded na mga places, yung malalawak, malalapad,
napakaganda ang ventilation, yun ang optional (in rooms, malls, we will make sure that face masks are worn. We will ensure that in non-crowded places, that are spacious, huge, with good ventilation, those are the places where the wearing of face masks is optional),’’ he added.
Since EO is very clear, Tamayo said that the penalties embedded in the local ordinances will kick-in for the face mask violators in indoor and crowded outdoor places, adding that face masks must still be worn in wet markets, malls and schools. (Chito A. Chavez)