‘Parang hindi nag-uusap:’ Pacquiao hits ‘mixed signals’ from gov’t on face shield use
FILE PHOTO: Senator Manny Pacquiao. INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday criticized the conflicting statements coming from government officials over the policy of the mandatory use of face shields.
“I hope the Inter-Agency Task Force will issue a formal announcement on this issue as we have been getting two views from two different entities. Parang hindi sila nag-uusap kung ano talaga ang dapat gawin,” Pacquiao said in a statement.
“Which is the correct policy? Ano ba talaga ang dapat? Kulang pa ba ang kinita nung mga nagpipilit na gamitin ito? Clarity is what we need from the government at this point when COVID-19 is still raging despite the heightened vaccination program and the lower number of cases in recent days,” he added.
The confusion on the use of face shields came after Malacañang branded as “null and void” an executive order issued by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno lifting the face shield requirement in public spaces except for medical facilities.
But Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said local executive orders making the use of face shields non-mandatory may be enforced and are not “null and void” as the Palace said.
“We’re getting mixed signals from the government, with the presidential spokesman saying that local ordinances removing the face shield requirement are ‘null and void’ while the DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government] says the contrary,” Pacquiao went on.
According to Pacquiao, government officials should have found it easy to communicate with each other with this day and age of smartphones and the internet.
He stressed the need to “harmonize their positions on public concerns,” especially on the government’s pandemic response.
Pacquiao lamented that even top-level government officials who are directly involved in the management of COVID-19 cannot see eye to eye when it comes to pandemic-related policies.
“Napakalaking palaisipan sa akin talaga kung bakit ipinipilit nila itong face shield. Alam naman natin na kalokohan lang yan at pinagkakakitaan lang pero di naman talaga nakakatulong,” he said.
“They claim that this policy was based on a study that it can offer an additional layer of protection but did not offer clear scientific proof based on actual tests, ” he added.
Pacquiao noted that while the Philippines is the “only country in the world that made face shields an integral part of the fight against COVID-19,” it has remained a “bottom-dweller” when it comes to COVID-19 response.
Pacquiao stressed that the face shield is not only an inconvenience but it is also a waste of money for ordinary citizens who have lost their jobs due to lockdowns.
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