The wearing of face masks in the Philippines is now voluntary after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed an Executive Order last Friday.
Executive Order No 07 was published in the Official Gazette over the weekend, allowing for the voluntary use of face masks in all indoor and outdoor settings with the exception of health care facilities, medical transport vehicles and public transport. The order became effective immediately upon publication.
The order notes that “countries around the world have been instituting measures such as reopening of international borders, and relaxation of health safety protocols and requirements, resulting in immediate positive impacts to their economies.”
It also observed that “countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as various countries around the world, have begun liberalizing face mask mandates with no significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases recorded.”
The decision to relax the mask mandate is seen as yet another key step in opening the country up to international tourism. The Philippines previously reopened its borders to international tourists in February, eased capacity restrictions in March and ended all lockdowns in April as it transitioned to living with COVID-19.
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