Government to allow minors in malls; family reunions considered mass gathering

PH’S BIGGEST MCDO – The country’s biggest McDonald’s is set to open inside the 35.6-hectare Capital Town in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. The two-level NextGen McDonald’s store near the Pampanga Provincial Capitol will have a floor area of more than 1,000 square meters and will feature its own modern McCafe.

After months of strict stay-at-home rule, minors will be allowed to go to shopping malls as long as they are accompanied by their parents, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday.

Año announced the government intends to ease the age-based stay-at-home restriction during a meeting with President Duterte and other Cabinet members, who are also part of the pandemic task force. The concerned local government units are expected to issue the relevant ordinances on the matter.

“Para na rin po sa Kapaskuhan ay doon po sa pinag-utos natin na puwede ng gradual expansion ng mga age group para makalabas. Ang mga minors po, basta accompanied ng mga magulang, ay papayagang makalabas at makapunta sa mall (This Christmas, we have ordered the gradual expansion of the age group allowed to leave the house. Minors may be allowed to go out of the house and go to malls if accompanied by their parents),” Año said in his remarks aired on state television.

“Ito po ay pagtitibayin sa mga ordinansa ng ating mga NCR (National Capital Region) mayors sa lugar po ng GCQ (This will be implemented through the ordinances that will be issued by NCR mayors, areas under GCQ),” he said.

“Aside from malls, they will also be allowed in parks because we should also give the children the chance to go out because this community quarantine has been going on for the past nine months,” said Lt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield.

Family reunions are mass gatherings

Año also said that the government is discouraging large family reunions during the holiday season to prevent a sudden spike in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country.