PBBM inks EO allowing voluntary wearing of face masks indoors

• Published date: 28 October 2022
• Publication title: Philippines News agency

President Ferdinand Marcos on Friday signed an executive order (EO) allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks in indoor settings.

Under EO 7, the wearing of face masks in indoor and outdoor settings shall be voluntary except in healthcare facilities, medical transport, and public transportation by land, air, or sea.

The liberalization of the face mask mandate has been recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) through its Resolution 3 (s. 2022).

Mask-wearing is still encouraged for the elderly, individuals with comorbidities, immunocompromised persons, pregnant women, unvaccinated individuals, and symptomatic individuals, according to the EO.

"A policy of voluntary wearing of face masks in both indoor and outdoor settings is a positive step towards normalization, and a welcome development that...