In order to prevent the rise of infections of Covid 19 in the barangay level, the barangay sanggunian can enact their own ordinances to penalize violators on the protocol requiring the use of face masks.
Face masks have been universally seen as a major deterrent against the spread of the Covid 19 virus.
In order to ensure that barangay residents never fail to wear masks, this can be strengthened by the enactment of a barangay ordinances.
Barangay ordinances may impose the penalty of fines not exceeding P1,000 against those found to violate the requirement of using face masks.
This can be seen as a potent tool of barangay authorities to keep their respective areas safer from the invasion of Covid 19.
Section 391 of Republic Act No. 7610 otherwise known a the local government code authorizes the sanggunian barangays as the legislative bodies to “prescribe fines not exceeding one thousand pesos (P1,000) for violation of barangay ordinances”
Thus a barangay may enact an ordinance requiring the wearing of face mask by everyone who enters the jurisdiction of a barangay.
And should anyone be caught not wearing facemask within the territory of a barangay, a fine not exceeding P1,000 may be imposed by the ordinance.
To ensure that the ordinance is strictly enforced, barangay officials including deputized barangay local law enforcers and tanods may be given a portion of the revenues generated by fines as incentives.
Such practical ordinances can autonomously enable barangay authorities to make sure their respective barangays are safer against the spread of Covid 19.