The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Sunday announced that COVID-19 health protocols, including the mandatory face masks policy imposed in all Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs), are lifted.
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista made the announcement a day after President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. signed Proclamation Order 297 that formally terminates the state of public health emergency status due to COVID-19 in the entire country.
"All prior Department Orders, Special Orders, Office Orders, Memoranda, and issuances that are effective only during the State of Public Health Emergency shall be deemed withdrawn, revoked or canceled and shall no longer be in effect," Bautista stated in the Department Order No. 2023-017.
This means that commuters in the Manila Metro Rail Transit System - Line 3 (MRT-3) as well as Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 and Line 2 are also no longer obliged to wear face masks.
Also not mandated to wear face masks are commuters of airplanes, UVs Express, jeepneys, and other modes of public transport.
The DOTr chief also directed all DOTr sectoral offices and attached agencies to comply and release "appropriate implementing policies, rules, and regulations will take into consideration the lifting of the state of a public health emergency."
The Department of Health (DOH) first affirmed that mandatory face mask policy in public transportation and other settings including healthcare facilities and medical transport vehicle shall be considered “rescinded” or officially lifted.
