Manila bans balaclavas in gov’t offices, public areas
The Manila City government has banned the wearing of any headgear that covers the face inside government, commercial and public establishments, as well as public places, unless necessary.
In a social media post on Saturday, the Manila Public Information Office (PIO) stated that Ordinance No. 9134 or the Anti-Balaclava Ordinance specifically prohibits the wearing of helmets, face masks, balaclavas, caps, hoodies and tinted visors while in the aforementioned areas.
According to Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, the aim was to “deter criminal activities and assist law enforcement agencies in the prevention and investigation of crimes by regulating the use of motorcycle helmets and other face concealing headgear in public establishments.”
Those who refuse to remove their headgear when instructed by law officers, barangay officials, security guards or other government authorities face penalties.
Penalties
The Manila PIO said that for the first offense, violators would be fined P1,000, followed by P3,000 for the second offense. For third and succeeding offenses, a fine of P5,000 will be imposed, plus a possible prison term of 15 days and a recommendation that the driver’s license be revoked.
Exemptions to the ordinance only apply in the following cases: In times of public health emergencies when the Department of Health or an interagency task force recommends or mandates the wearing of face masks;
- Riders in motion or drivers or passengers still on the motorcycle and temporarily stopped due to traffic lights and road signs, or when hailed by traffic enforcers;
- Law enforcers who are on official duty, especially in emergency or hot pursuit operations;
- Those with serious illnesses or comorbidities who are required to wear face masks; and
- Those with religious exemptions, including those who wear turbans or any headgear that is part of their faith.
A youth group, however, called the ordinance “an infringement on basic human rights that criminalizes the basic activities of ordinary citizens.”
“Instead of addressing poverty, joblessness, and the lack of public safety infrastructure, Mayor Isko Moreno and the Manila [government] are targeting ordinary people whose livelihoods and mobility depend on these very garments,” the Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan said in a statement on Sunday. —WITH A REPORT FROM PNA
