Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. said he will discuss Cebu City's mask mandate with the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) next week.

During the House Committee on Appropriations hearing Thursday, Abalos said he called up Cebu Mayor Michael Rama to ask him to defer the implementation of his executive order that allows the optional wearing of face masks outdoors for the sake of harmonizing it with the national law.

“I promise I will bring this to the IATF next week and not only that, I would even move that Cebu will be a pilot here. Since Cebu has always been wanting to have this policy on removing masks outdoors. But we have to have a process, one policy here in the country,” Abalos said.

Rama, in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, said he is continuing the implementation of his executive order, maintaining that it does not remove the mandatory wearing of face masks.

“I would like to make a clarification, my executive order very clearly does not talk about lifting the requirement of face mask. So nothing to be lifted,” he said.

Rama maintained that the order only makes the use of face masks as “non-obligatory” in Cebu City and that it “empowers” the people.

On Wednesday, Rama issued Executive Order No. 5 which states that mask-wearing is not required in open spaces and is a "measure of individual self-preservation and protection".

The order only requires people to wear masks if they are sick, immunocompromised, or if they are inside hospitals and other medical facilities.

Abalos said if Cebu City '' will prove probably in two weeks or three weeks that we don’t have to wear masks, at least we have something to start on.'' What is important is we harmonize everything,” Abalos added.

Abalos also promised to talk to Department of Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire about the mask issue so there will be no confusion. Jaspearl Tan/DMS