(File photo)
MANILA – Senator Christopher Lawrence Go said Thursday President Ferdinand R. Marcos' plan to issue an executive order allowing the wearing of face masks voluntarily indoors is geared towards renormalizing life amid the pandemic.
Go, however, cited the need for clear and specific guidelines to ensure the safety of every Filipino.
"Hangad nating lahat na bumalik sa normal ang ating buhay. Pero kahit gagawing boluntaryo na ang pagsusuot ng face masks, huwag pa rin tayong magkumpiyansa (We all want our lives to return to normal. But even if wearing face masks would be made voluntary, let us not be overconfident)," he said in a statement.
"Tulad ng aking apela noon sa ating mga kababayan, kung hindi naman mahirap o sagabal para sa inyo na mag-mask, mag-mask pa rin po tayo dahil dagdag proteksyon ito sa atin laban sa sakit (Like my previous appeal to our people, if it is not difficult or a hindrance for you to wear a mask, let's still wear it for additional protection against diseases)."
Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, also reiterated his appeal to strengthen the government’s vaccination efforts.
"Katulad ng sinasabi ko noon, ang buhay ng tao, hindi katulad ng isang pelikula, wala itong (Like I’ve said before, human life is not like a movie. It has no) part two. A life lost is a life lost forever," he said, emphasizing that given the continuing threat of new variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the vaccine remains the only tool to fully overcome the pandemic.
As of October 23, more than 3 million Filipinos, or 4.24 percent of the target population, have received their second booster dose while more than 20 million, or 26.21 percent of the target population, have received their first booster shot.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco on Tuesday announced that the President would issue an executive order relaxing regulations for foreign tourists and making it optional to wear face masks indoors.
Frasco said indoor mask use would only be "highly encouraged" for those who have not been vaccinated, those with preexisting medical conditions, and the elderly.
She also noted that the use of masks would still be required in medical settings and public transportation. (PNA)
