Minors may soon be allowed to enter malls, but only with their parents
Minors will soon be allowed to go out of their homes and enter malls—but not just yet. On Monday, Nov. 30, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced in a televised briefing that minors will be allowed to go to malls as long as they are with their parents or guardians.
He said that the gradual expansion of age groups allowed to go out, including minors, is just in time for Christmas. "Basta accompanied ng mga magulang ay papayagang makalabas at magpunta sa mall,” Año said. (As long as their parents accompany them, they will be allowed to go to the malls.)
However, in an interview with ABS-CBN's Teleradyo on Tuesday, Police Brig. Vicente Danao clarified that only authorized persons outside of residents or APOR are allowed to enter malls, and that kids are still prohibited to go out in GCQ areas.
“Di pa po allowed ‘yan sa GCQ… Actually, we’ll be having a meeting with mall managers na di pa rin i-allow yung pagpapapasok ng non-APOR kasi we’ll be expecting an influx ng mga tao dyan sa loob ng mga malls and other places of convergence,” Danao said. (It is not yet allowed under GCQ. Actually, we’ll be having a meeting with mall managers on prohibiting the entry of non-APOR because we’ll be expecting an influx of people inside malls and other places of convergence.)
“Para makaiwas sa threat ng COVID-19, mas maganda siguro wag na lang po muna,” he added. (To avoid the threat of COVID, it’s better not to allow it yet.)
In addition, Police Lt. Gen. Cesar Binag, commander of Joint Task Force COVID Shield, said that a local ordinance must be passed by the Metro Manila mayors allowing minors outside their homes.
Binag told Teleradyo in another interview, "Kailangan pagtibayin yan ng isang ordinansa. Sa meeting namin ng JTF COVID Shield, pinaghandaan po namin itong recommendation ng mayors sa Metro Manila at kaugnayan din natin si NCRPO director para nga sa pagpapatupad nitong ni-recommend nila na tinanggap naman ng IATF at in-announce na nga kagabi." (It needs to be strengthened by a local ordinance. During our JTF COVID Shield meeting, we prepared for the Metro Manila mayors' recommendation and also coordinated with the NCRPO director in enforcing the mayors' proposal, which the IATF accepted and announced last night.)
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government is trying to ensure that kids will not act as “super spreaders” of the virus when they go to malls. “Kailagan kasama ang mga maguling (they should be accompanied by their parents),” he reiterated in today’s briefing. “It’s really to invite families to visit the malls again. Kahit tayo ay nagluwag na, maluwag pa talaga ang mga malls, di pa lumalabas ang ating mga kababayan (even when we have eased restrictions, there are still few people in malls, people are not going our).”