CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama is set to sign Wednesday an executive order lifting the mandatory wearing of face masks in his area.
In an interview with TeleRadyo, Rama said his order will only keep face masks mandatory in hospitals, clinics, and other diagnostic centers.
“’Yun ang mga sinasabi nating area na talagang we do not want to be telling them, wag na kayo magsuot kasi that is where infections are brewing,” he said.
Rama said the push to lift vaccine mandates is in line with the goal of opening the city and Cebu province as a whole to more tourists.
“We are getting to look at also our data. At the same time, we are practically opening One Cebu Island, concept namin with Governor Gwen Garcia, One Cebu Island policy with respect to many things, including tourism, and even our concern to address medical issues,” he said.
The mayor said Cebuanos who still wish to wear face masks in his city remain free to do so.
“Actually, kung tutuusin mo, yung thrust dito, it becomes self-regulatory. Atsaka you cannot be compelling also, pag talagang they wish to wear face mask, (sa) amin that is their, shall we say, discretion,” he noted.
Rama’s order comes a few months after national government officials pushed back on Garcia’s proposal to lift mask mandates in the entire Cebu province.
Asked about facing criticism from other officials with regard to his order, Rama said government must now “move forward” in the fight against the pandemic.
“We have to move forward, rise up and move forward and be more already looking at, from the point of view of pragmatism,” he said.
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