City sets refund guidelines for face-cover violators

Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna announced yesterday that three offices will have to convene to set up the mechanics for refunds to persons who paid the P5,000 fine in relation to the ordinance that prohibits face covers.

The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue recorded 36 out of the 581 violators who have paid the fine.

Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said, in a press conference yesterday, that other violators may pay the fine once the amendments of City Ordinance 14-2017-1251 are approved by the City Council after Holy Week.

The Mandaue City Government decided to reduce the P5,000 fine to P500 for first-time violators of the ordinance that prohibits the use of balaclavas, ski masks and cloth face covers.

The amended ordinance was approved on first reading by the City Council on Wednesday last week.

The City Council will approve the amendment on second and final reading in the session next week.

“We have not yet discussed the mechanics because we have not done that before… This is one of the very rare situation that the Council, the city mayor give consideration,” said Fortuna.

He said the City Treasurer’s Office, City Accounting Office and the Commission on Audit will have to meet first to talk about the mechanics for the refund.

Fortuna appreciated those who immediately pay on time following the violation.

Aside from the reduction of fine, the City will allow the male drivers and male passengers of motorcyles to wear only a surgical mask, but they are not allowed to wear balaclava, ski mask and any cloth face mask.

For the female drivers, female passengers and minors, they can either use a cloth face mask, surgical masks, but not balaclava and ski mask.

The City Government decided to enforce the ordinance to prevent crimes by motorcycle-riding perpetrators.

Mandaue reduced the P5T fine to P500 for violators of the anti-face covering ordinance.