VIDEOKE singing is allowed if done privately among family members.
This was stressed yesterday by Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya saying what is prohibited are videoke sessions in public especially this holiday season.
In a news briefing, Malaya cited a Department of Health (DOH) study particularly by the aerosol science and technology journal that singing in microphones increase viral spread by 449 percent compared to normal talking.
The DILG official said he sees nothing wrong in singing within the households or exchanging microphones among family members.
With these findings, Malaya appealed to the public to just skip this year’s traditional festivities and instead celebrate the Yulletide Season solemnly with their immediate family members.
The national government has been fighting the deadly COVID-19 problem for nine months already but the illness remains a health threat with new cases still recorded in different regions.
Malaya said the government will continue videoke singing in public as it will constitue a violation of the provision on mass gatherings.
As to what sanctions should be imposed, Malaya said that it depends on the ordinances of the local government units (LGUs) which have jurisdiction over the matter.
He noted that the LGUs or the barangays and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are mandated to enforce these laws.
Under the recent inter-Agency task Force (IATF) regulations, Malaya said that only restaurants and not videoke or karaoke bars are allowed to operate.
