MANILA, Philippines — As people start to flock to malls for Christmas shopping, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III urged mall operators to assign individuals who will monitor public compliance with physical distancing protocols.
Duque yesterday said “alternative enforcement measures” can be adopted in malls to ensure that shoppers strictly observe the minimum health standards set to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
He added that security officials, referred to as “BIDA Bastonero,” could be assigned to enforce physical distancing between customers in anticipation of the holiday rush.
BIDA stands for B-awal walang mask; I-sanitize ang mga kamay, iwas-hawak sa mga bagay; D-umistansya ng isang metro and A-lamin ang totoong impormasyon. (Wear mask, sanitize hands, keep a distance of one meter and be informed).
BIDA Solusyon, which encourages everyone to practice heath protocols to prevent the spread of the virus, is the DOH’s primary information campaign against COVID-19.
To make sure that business establishments have been implementing health protocols, Duque has been making the rounds in malls and markets.
“These initiatives demonstrate the ingenuity of our private sector partners,” Duque noted.
He added that there is a need to “continue employing a whole-of-nation approach to address the pandemic by collaborating with partners who cater to the public’s everyday needs.”
Duque hopes that the country will be able to overcome the crisis through this approach.