INTERIOR Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. said Tuesday, September 6, 2022, that he has brought up Cebu City’s policy on face masks to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) as discussed with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.Abalos said the National Government is expected to release its decision on the country’s face mask rule within the week.He said the result of the IATF meeting on the matter will remain “a secret” until it is final and have been approved by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.“It’s all about mask mandate outdoors, hindi ‘yung indoors ang pinag-uusapan dito, just outdoors. May point of view diyan na we are the only country and Myanmar in the Asean (Association of the South east Asian Nation) na meron pang mask mandate, ‘yung iba wala na,” Abalos said in a television interview.“Of course, meron naman nagsasabi about the vaccination natin, mga booster, etcetera. So we have to weigh everything at yun ho ang pinag-uusapan more or less,” he added.Abalos said they are aiming for a uniform mask policy, which will be followed by all the local government units across the country.The Cebu City Government has issued an order making the wearing of face masks in all areas in their jurisdiction, whether open spaces or not, optional.It issued a supplemental order setting the trial period for the non-masking mandate until December 31, 2022.The City Government said the mask policy will be lifted once the number of cases there increases.The Department of Health (DOH) earlier expressed opposition to Rama’s order, noting the country’s low Covid-19 booster vaccination coverage.DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said it also posed a risk on the possible increase of coronavirus transmission not only in Cebu City but also in other places in the Philippines. (SunStar Philippines)