Duterte wants gov't to provide free COVID-19 face masks

During Monday's Talk to the People Briefing, President Rodrigo Duterte said that the government would have to provide citizens with face masks to ensure compliance with this aspect of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

"It’s the mask, ilang gamit lang. But yung iba, lumang-luma because they don’t have money to buy. We have to provide the mask for everybody," Duterte explained.

"Kung yung tao walang pambili how would you expect compliance?"

The President also said that masks could only be used several times before sweat and moisture made them useless for "what it’s intended for."

The use of masks and adherence to basic COVID-19 health protocols have become particularly relevant given the limited availability of vaccines and the recent surge in novel coronavirus infections.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque himself, during an earlier briefing, emphasized that basic COVID-19 health protocols provided the same or even better protection against the novel coronavirus as vaccines.  — DVM, GMA News