Metro Manila Council chair Edwin Olivarez said mayors in the capital region now want to allow teenagers, ages 15 to 17, to go out of their homes.
“Ang Metro Manila Council pumayag po sa pagbaba po ng age. Tayo na lang sa Pilipinas ang 18 to 65. Ngayon payag na rin po ang Metro Manila Council, mga LGUs na madagdagan ng 15 to 17 years old,” Olivarez, who is also mayor of Parañaque City, said in a TeleRadyo interview.
(The Metro Manila Council has agreed to lower the age. The Philippines is the only one that imposes 18 to 65. Now the Metro Manila Council, LGUs are willing to add 15 to 17 years old.)
The MMCA chair added allowing more teenagers would help to boost the economy provided that they would continue to observe COVID-19 protocols. However, he pointed out that it was “contradictory” to have gaming arcades open in malls but not allow the teens to go there.
Reopening of cinemas in Metro Manila, GCQ areas suspended
Malacañang announced Monday the suspension of cinemas in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) which was supposed to start today.
According to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the decision was made after mayors of Metro Manila expressed their opposition to the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow more industries to reopen.
“Hindi na po iyan mapapatupad ngayong araw at iyan po ay ipapatupad either March 1 or kung kailan po magkakaroon ng guidelines ang ating mga lokal na pamahalaan,” Roque said in an interview with state-run PTV.
The Palace official said the guidelines would address capacity requirements.
“Iyong pagbubukas po ay subject sa guidelines na sila mismo ang bubuo kasi importante na malaman kung ano ang seating capacity at ano pa iyong mga ibang requirements ng local government units,” he said in a separate radio interview.