Belmonte orders mandatory wearing of face masks in public places

April 7, 2020

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered the mandatory wearing of face masks or face covering in all public places within the city to help prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Belmonte Monday issued Executive Order No. 25, Series of 2020, ordering residents to wear any form of covering for the nose and mouth, including medical masks, industrial masks, earloop masks, do-it-yourself masks, cloth masks, improved masks, face shields and the likes.

“We hope this would help reduce the spread of  COVID-19 in our city,''” said Belmonte.

Quezon City has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the National Capitol Region. Late Monday, the Department of Health reported 583 cases in Quezon City. Total deaths are 34 while 15 patients recovered from COVID-19.

Belmonte issued the order after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) enjoined local government units (LGUs) to pass an ordinance requiring the mandatory wearing of facemasks in public places.

Under Belmonte’s order, public places include but not limited to streets, highway, sidewalks, parking lots, vacant lots, and the common areas in and about churches, apartment, buildings, office buildings, hospitals, schools, malls or shopping centers, commercial establishments and places of entertainment such as movie theaters and similar places or establishments.

Belmonte mandates the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), all barangay officials, the Department of Public Order and Safety, Task Force Disiplina, the Market Development and Administration Department, and other concerned offices of the local government to enforce the order.

Penalties for violators will be imposed based on Sec. 9 (c) of Republic Act No. 11332.

Belmonte said the city’s enforcers will first distribute masks to people who do not have one so they can comply with the order.

The order will be in effect until the national government lifts the enhanced community quarantine over whole of Luzon. DMS