BY ARGYL GEDUCOS
President Duterte has revoked the 0.75-meter physical distancing in public transport that was earlier recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“Matapos pong pag-aralan ni Presidente ang desisyon ng parehong panig…Nag-desisyon na po ang Presidente kahapon. Ang desisyon po ng Presidente, mananatili po ang one-meter social distancing sa pampublikong transportation,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said over PTV-4 Saturday.
“Sasamahan din ng pagsusuot ng mask, face shield, bawal po ang salita, at bawal po ang pagkain, at pagsa-sanitize po sa mga pampublikong transportasyon,” he added.
The Department of Transportation announced early this month that it will start easing the required distancing measures in public transportation as the government reopens the economy.
However, this was met with criticisms not just from the public but also from medical frontliners.
The argument prompted President Duterte to order the IATF to revisit its decision, asking them to submit a report to him.
Duterte himself admitted last week that he thinks it is a “fallacy” to believe that wearing a face shield in public transportation could provide full protection from the COVID-19 infection.
Last Wednesday, Roque said that there was really no objection from IATF members when the move was first proposed. He said it only became an issue when medical groups made one out of it.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nogales said the move to ease the physical distancing measures was a calibrated move and a part of the government’s second phase of the National Action Plan to address COVID-19.
Malacañang also made attempts to convince the public to accept the 0.75-meter physical distancing rule, even inviting former Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit to support the IATF’s decision during the regular Palace press briefing Thursday. (Argyll Geducos)
