Gov’t stands firm on face mask policy inside vehicles

The government has stood firm in its policy of requiring persons inside a vehicle to wear face masks, whether or not they are from the same household.

In a joint statement, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Health (DOH) said it shall observe and enforce the following guidelines on the wearing of face mask inside vehicles:

•     When traveling alone, the driver may remove his/her face mask
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•     When the driver is with passenger/s, it is mandatory for all individuals inside the vehicle to properly wear a face mask, regardless if they are from the same household

The policy is pursuant to the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

In a Viber message to reporters, Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddess Libiran said policy-makers will discuss how to properly implement the policy, “and ano ‘yung mga fines and penalties na ii-impose sa violators.”

The DOH-DOTr joint statement noted that proper coordination shall be made with and between the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (IACT), Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), other law enforcement agencies, and local government traffic offices/units, “concerning the proper implementation of the Resolution, and the imposition of appropriate fines and penalties for violations thereof, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations.”—AOL, GMA News