Cebu City dad wants CHED, DepEd to require students to wear face masks

Wearing disposable face masks, a group of students walk along Velez St. in downtown Cagayan de Oro Friday in January. The wearing of protective masks in public places is now required by the government to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. | Inquirer Mindanao photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Students should be wearing masks when they go to school.

This was the stand of Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo as the city prepares for a new normal due to the coronavirus threat.

Guardo filed a resolution in the City Council urging the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to require students to wear masks when classes resume.

In his resolution, Guardo said that DepEd and CHED should anticipate and initiate guidelines to expand, improve, and intensify the existing preventive measures against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“While people had mixed reaction on the resumption of Classes, I am more concerened of their safety. Yesterday, Cebu City Council has approved my resolution requesting DEP-ED and CHED requiring students to wear FACE MASK in all levels in public and private schools once classes resume in Cebu City,” said Guardo on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

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“Teachers, students and pupils are required to wear FACE MASK as a new normal during class in time of GCQ in order to avoid the spread of Covid-19 virus and for the safety of all the students,” he added.

The resolution was approved by the City Council on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, and will now be sent to DepEd and CHED to urge them to adapt the mask policy in all education institutions.

The Interagency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has placed the city under modified enhanced community quarantine From June 1, 2020 until June 15, 2020, after which, the city may be downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ). /bmjo