San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, leads the awarding of safety seal to Vmall in San Juan City on Friday, June 11. The safety seals are issued by the LGU to establishments complying with safety and health protocols. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Wearing of face shield inside establishments is still required in San Juan City while awaiting the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF) final order, Mayor Francis Zamora said on Tuesday.
“That is correct,” Zamora said over ABS-CBN Channel when asked if face shield is still required in the city.
“Once the IATF gives the go-signal to lift this, then I will issue the necessary executive orders and I will also amend current ordinances which right now penalizes people who are not using a face shield,” Zamora added.
It can be recalled that Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso lifted the face shield requirement in the capital city except inside hospitals and health care facilities, which appeared to be at odds with the IATF’s mandate.
Malacañang on Monday said the order could be considered null and void as it violates an existing executive policy decreed by the President, but Moreno said that he has the power to exercise the powers vested by the local government code under the general welfare clause.
Zamora said he agrees with Moreno.
“I believe he is correct because the local government code vest upon us this authority,” he said.
“However, it has been the policy of the Metro Manila Council to act as one not just the decision regarding face shields, but also regarding in time of curfew, before when we were voting for GCQ [general community quarantine], MECQ [modified enhanced community quarantine], the Metro Manila Council will have a common stand,” he added.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos said local chief executives in the National Capital Region have agreed to limit the face shield policy in hospitals and public utility vehicles, echoing the sentiment of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
Año will propose the recommendation during the IATF meeting on Thursday, according to Abalos.