CDN PHOTO / NORMAN MENDOZA
Members of the Mandaue City Council approved on first reading proposed amendments to the city’s anti-face mask ordinance during their Wednesday afternoon session.
The amendatory ordinance authored by Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna and Councilors Nilo Seno and Carmelino Del Mar Jr. will reduce fines imposed for the violation of the ordinance and will already allow the use of surgical mask to protect motorists and their back riders from dust and smoke inhalation.
From imposing a fix rate of P5,000 for every violation of the ordinance, fines will already be reduced to P500 for the first offense and P1,000 and P1,500 for the second and third offenses respectively, after the ordinance passes third and final reading.
The amendatory ordinance was among the items discussed by the Mandaue City Council members during their regular session which started at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Lawyer Elaine Bathan, Chief of Staff for Mayor Luigi Quisumbing, said in an interview on Wednesday morning that the mayor wrote the council to seek a review of City Ordinance No. 14-2017-1215 or the city’s anti-face mask ordinance following concerns raised by motorists since its implementation on March 12, 2018.
Bathan said the mayor agreed to amend the ordinance after he was also assured by Mandaue City police officials and Philippine National Police (PNP) crime laboratory personnel that positive identification of a crime suspect is still possible even if the said suspect is wearing a surgical mask.