President Rodrigo Duterte called on the local government units (LGUs) to pass local ordinances restricting unvaccinated minors to roam around public places.

“I am calling on all local government units to consider passing ordinances for age restrictions among minors who can be allowed to go to the malls,” Duterte said during his prerecorded Talk to the People aired late Monday night.

Duterte said children, especially those who are not yet protected against coronavirus disease (Covid-19), will remain at risk of severe infection.

“Certainly, they cannot allow those below 12 years old and those who are still unvaccinated to be exposed to the risks of Covid-19 in public places,” he added.

Duterte also advised the parents to keep their children away from the dreaded virus, citing a report that a two-year-old child tested positive for Covid-19 three days after visiting a mall.

“Alam kong gustung-gusto niyo nang ipasyal ang mga anak niyo (I know you are eager to stroll your kids) after staying for so long inside your home due to lockdowns, pero isipin ninyo kung maliliit pa ang mga anak niyo at hindi pa bakunado (but you should think that they are still very young and unvaccinated), do not expose them to the virus. They have no defense mechanism in their system [against] Covid-19,” he said.

Duterte called on the parents and guardians of unvaccinated minors to be “mindful of these risks.”

The government, he said, is “only thinking about the safety” of young individuals and making sure that “no one among Filipino children should be infected with Covid-19.”

“Reminder, even if we are able to control the virus, the virus is still here and remain to be a threat to our people and nation. Kaya ipagpatuloy po natin ang mask, hugas, iwas. Bakuna pa rin ang importante na protection (Let’s continue using face mask, wash hands, and physical distancing. Vaccines remain the important protection). I hope that everybody would take this advice para malayo sa disgrasya (to keep you away from danger),” he said.

There is an ongoing inoculation of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old in the country.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19, earlier said the government and the health authorities are now completing the necessary assessments and safety protocols to start the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States has authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be administered to these age brackets. (PNA)