Unless alone, all vehicle occupants must wear face masks

MANILA, Philippines — Drivers and their passengers, even from the same household, are required to wear face masks inside private vehicles, the Departments of Transportation (DOTr) and of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

In a joint statement, the DOTr and DOH said only when drivers are alone in their vehicles may they be allowed to remove their face mask.

However, when they are with one or more passengers, it is mandatory for all individuals inside the vehicle to properly wear a face mask, regardless of whether or not they are from the same household, the statement said.

This puts an end to questions on whether families or those living in the same household are exempted from the guideline issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on wearing of face masks inside vehicles.

DOTr Assistant Secretary Goddes Libiran said fines and penalties shall be imposed on violators and that proper enforcement would be discussed further among members of the department’s road sector.

“Proper coordination shall be made with and between the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic, Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, other law enforcement agencies and local government traffic offices/units, concerning the proper implementation of the resolution and the imposition of appropriate fines and penalties for violations thereof, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations,” the statement read.

However, Sen. Grace Poe is asking the IATF to rethink its policy, which she called “simply ludicrous and unrealistic.”

“The car is like an extension of the family’s house. As long as there are no strangers inside it, it can be considered as their private bubble,” she said.

Wearing face masks should be required in public transportation and carpooling, but not inside private vehicles carrying members of the same household, she said.

The senator said she will bring up the matter when the committee on public services, which she chairs, starts its inquiry on the latest policies of the DOTr next week. – Paolo Romero