April 26, 2024

Mayor Benjamin Magalong has requested the city council to amend the ordinance on the use of face masks in anticipation of the approval by the President of the new rule limiting face mask’s mandatory use to indoor settings.

The mayor wrote the city council through Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan saying there is a need to prepare fora new face mask use rule in view of the developments in the national front.

“The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases has already forwarded a policy recommendation to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on libe-ralizing the use of face masks, particularly making it an option to wear face masks in outdoor, low-risk settings for persons who are not immunocompromised,” the mayor said.

He said the city is prepared for such developments as it had attained 126.53 percent full vaccination rate. The city also posted 121.10 percent accomplishment in the senior citizens group, 26.20 percent of whom had received their second booster shots.

“Our efforts to ramp up vaccination for primary and booster doses have not waivered and we are committed in our efforts to ramp up Covid-19 vaccination in the city. Our health standards shall continue to be implemented especially in high risk settings. In any case, our prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate mechanisms are ready should circumstances so require,” the mayor said. He said the city has remained on low risk level enabling it to open more economic activities,                                            wellness, and fitness activities and resume face-to-face activities in schools. – Aileen P. Refuerzo