SMALL INCONVENIENCE President Rodrigo Duterte apologizes for the confusion over the national government’s face shield policy during his public address Monday night after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on June 21, 2021. Duterte was not wearing a face shield. Image from PCOO
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Nancy Binay said on Tuesday that national leaders should first set an example on the use of face shield so there won’t be a “disconnect” in the messaging.
Speaking over ABS-CBN News Channel, Binay urged national leaders mandating the use of face shields to “practice what we preach,” noting that implementers themselves don’t follow their own guidelines.
While she agrees that the wearing of face shield is an additional protection against COVID-19, Binay said she does not fully support the government’s decision to make it mandatory.
“It’s highly recommended because I agree it’s an additional protection but yung konspeto ng making it mandatory e mukhang hindi ako ganung kasang-ayon…” she said over ABS-CBN News Channel.
(It’s highly recommended because I agree it’s an additional protection but the concept of making it mandatory, I don’t fully agree with it)
Despite the wearing of face shields, the senator noted that the Philippines was still reported to have the most number of total and active COVID-19 cases as well as deaths recorded among the countries in the Western Pacific region.
“So parang may disconnect. Ang sakin din siguro dapat may consistency din tayo sa messaging di ba?” she then said.
(So there’s some kind of disconnect. We should also have consistency in messaging)
“There’s a disconnect when we require yung mga ordinaryong kababayan natin to wear face shield pero may nakikita rin naman tayong who’s supposed to be implementing that guideline, sya hindi nagsusuot ng face shield.”
“So number one is consistency in messaging and yung ano, lets’ practice what we preach,” Binay added.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno’s earlier proposal to only require the use of face shields in hospitals had sparked public debate.
Heeding the advice of health experts, however, President Rodrigo Duterte declared Monday that the wearing of face shields indoors and outdoors is still mandatory.