Anti-Spitting Ordinance approved in Muntinlupa; Violators to be apprehended

From metronewscentral.net:

Muntinlupa City bans spitting, expelling substances from the mouth and nose, and littering of used or contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE) in public places amid COVID-19 emergency.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi approved Ordinance 2020-089 or the “Anti-Spitting and Anti-Littering Ordinance of 2020” on Monday as a mitigation measure against the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

“Since COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact or respiratory droplets which can last for a few days on surfaces, we are passing an ordinance penalizing hazardous societal habits that are considered as public nuisances and potentially exposes other persons to COVID-19,” Fresnedi said.

The local government will start apprehending individuals who carelessly or intentionally spit mucus, saliva, phlegm, or other substances from the mouth and openly sneezes out nasal mucus in public places such as city streets, alleys, sidewalks, parks, grocery stores, markets, and terminals, among others.

Under Ordinance 2020-089, any person whether natural or juridical who willingly or unintentionally disposes PPEs in public places will also be penalized. Other prohibitions provided in the local ordinance include defecating and excreting bodily wastes or urinating in public places.
Individuals violating the ordinance will face up to six (6) months imprisonment with P5,000 fine.

Photo from metronewscentral.net

The public is encouraged to document violations through photographs or video recording provided that the recording is taken exclusively for reporting purposes to public authorities in order to file appropriate action or complaint.

Recently, the local government has also required everyone to wear face masks at all times and observe physical distancing as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city continues to rise. City residents are mandated to wear face masks at all times, especially when going outside of their residence, at the workplace, when entering government buildings and offices, and while in public places.

Muntinlupa City started its targeted COVID-19 mass testing on Monday beginning with persons under investigation (PUI). PUIs are being transported to a field testing area located at the local health office for the collection of swab samples. Swab booths are being used by CHO personnel during the targeted mass testing to lessen the exposure of health workers to possible COVID-19 patients.

The local government partnered with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) for the processing of samples. Results will be released three to four days after testing.

As of April 13, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 77 confirmed cases in Muntinlupa with 13 deaths and 14 recovered cases. According to CHO, there are 203 persons under monitoring (PUM) and 183 patients under investigation (PUI). While confirmed COVID-19 rises in the city, the number of cleared cases also improve with over 590 cleared PUM and 253 cleared PUI.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.