The Metro Manila mayors will release a list of places where children aged five and above are allowed to go, following the new policy issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
In an interview with Metropolitan Mayor Chairperson Benhur Abalos on Sunday (July 11), he explained that the list will serve as a guide for the public on open spaces present in every local government unit (LGU) in Metro Manila.
Abalos emphasized that the said IATF policy has undergone thorough study of health experts. He said the mayors also favored the new policy.
“Siguro magkakaroon ng marshals dito eventually and for the next coming days. [Nagpapagawa] kami ng mga list ng LGU–mga open spaces na guide sa ating mga taga-Metro Manila para kanilang makita at mapuntahan for the [children aged] five years old.”
According to the MMDA chief, there are currently no added restrictions or conditions made by the LGUs.
He highlighted that the place must avoid overcrowding, the children must have a chaperone along with them, and most importantly, the health protocols must be strictly observed.
Meanwhile, in a Laging Handa public briefing on July 10, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the IATF allowed the policy due to studies that show how the pandemic and lockdowns affect the youth.
“Kailangan po nating maintindihan, ng ating mga kababayan na ito po ay nairekomenda at pinayagan ng IATF not because of mababa ang transmission sa ating bansa. Ngunit kasi, mayroon namang mga pag-aaral na talagang apektado na ho ang ating mga kabataan dahil po dito sa pandemya at sa lockdowns. It is already affecting their physical and mental health, and this is based on evidence already.”
She said the local governments must be able to assure the safety of the children and that the parents or chaperone must not bring their children in overcrowded places as well as interact with someone outside their family bubble.
“Dito po sa protocol na ipinalabas natin, hindi pa rin po nababago ang Omnibus guidelines ng ating IATF, na ibig sabihin po na ito pong mga public places na crowded ay hindi pa rin pwedeng dalhin ng ating mga magulang ang ating mga kabataan diyan,” she said.
Pangalawa, hindi pa rin po pupwede na outside of your family bubble ang makaka-interact ninyo. So the parent has to recognize that fact na nandiyan pa rin po iyong risk para sa ating mga kabataan kaya may safeguards tayo dapat. And the safeguards would be, we still follow the protocols that we have existing, and also ipag-mask ang mga bata at i-supervise sila, samahan ninyo po sila,” she added. Report from Rod Lagusad/NGS-rir
