Parañaque city residents to always wear face masks when in public places, says mayor

From The Manila Bulletin by Jean Fernando:

Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez ordered the mandatory wearing of face masks when going out to public places. The order is part of improved measures against the spread of COVID-19, which the mayor put in place after signing an executive order providing additional guidelines to the Sangguniang Panglunsod’s resolution that prescribed strict home quarantine.

Olivarez said that, despite the implementation of a strict home quarantine, there was still an observable rise in local transmission of the virus. This necessitated the imposition of additional measures, such as the strict wearing of face masks by residents who go to public places for reasons allowed by the city’s and the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

From Mayor Edwin Olivarez Facebook Page

The mayor said that this mandatory wearing of face masks in the city will be enforced by barangays, in coordination with the city government and the Philippine National Police (PNP), until the Luzon-wide ECQ is lifted.

Due to the shortage of the supply of face masks, the Department of Health (DOH) recommended the use of any cloth that can cover the nose, mouth, and chin, Olivarez said. The city government, through the assistance of the barangays, will also distribute face masks to residents if supply permits.

The mayor also appealed to Parañaque residents to continue practicing social distancing, keeping at least one meter distance from other persons.

Meanwhile, he added, commercial establishments operating in the city must display a full copy of his order, at or near entrances or in areas immediately visible to the public. They must also strictly prohibit entry to any person who is not wearing a face mask.