Duterte to announce policy on face shields on Monday

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce on Monday the government’s new policy on face shield use, Malacañang said.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President will hold his weekly public address on Monday night and is expected to announce his decision on the face shield use.

“Sigurado mamaya sa ‘Talk to the People’ iaanunsyo ni Presidente kung inaaprubahan niya o hindi ang rekomendasyon ng IATF tungkol sa pagsusuot ng face shields,” he said in a Palace briefing.

(I’m sure later in his public address, the President will announce his decision on whether he will accept or reject the recommendation of the government’s pandemic task force on the use of face shields.)

Roque was mum on what the IATF’s recommendation was on the face shield use. He earlier said it would be President Duterte who will announce.

Many have been calling to nix the mandatory policy of face shield use, questioning its effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 transmission.

Some local government units, including the country’s capital city Manila, have issued local laws to make the use of face shields “non-mandatory” or “voluntary.”

Roque earlier said these orders are “null” and “void” for going against existing national policy.

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