Malacañang said Thursday that President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement on face shield use is already considered a policy.
“I can confirm what Senate President [Vicente] Sotto and Senator [Joel] Villanueva said that the President did say that the wearing of face shield should only be in hospitals,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said during a Palace briefing.
“When the President has decided, that is the policy,” he added.
Roque said Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) can appeal Duterte’s decision.
“The President announced a new policy but this is without prejudice to the IATF appealing the decision of the President,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Thursday wearing of face shield is still required amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will run this through the IATF meeting later,” Nograles said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
“Face shields are still required,” he pointed out.
Senate President Tito Sotto earlier said that President Rodrigo Duterte would allegedly order the Department of Health to stop using the face shield and use it only in hospitals.
“Last night, the President agreed that face shields should only be used in hospitals. Allowed us to remove ours! Attn DOH!” said Sotto on Twitter.
Duterte’s statement on face shield use considered as policy: Roque
According to joint Memorandum Circular 2021-0001 states that face shields are required to be worn in the following areas:
- Enclosed public spaces
- Schools
- Workplaces
- Commercial establishments
- Public transport and terminals
- Places of worship
Other public spaces wherein one-meter physical distancing is not possible and there is a gathering of more than 10 people at the same venue at the same time.
Yesterday, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the public could remove face shields outdoors since COVID-19 transmission risk in open spaces is low.
“‘Yung face shields, kakailanganin naman talaga ‘yan ‘pag nasa indoor ka, nasa mall ka, or ‘pag may interaction ka face to face inside,” he said during the Laging Handa briefing.
(Face shields are needed when you’re indoors, in a mall, or having a face-to-face interaction inside.)
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