Palace: Face shields no longer needed to be worn outdoors

In this August 20, 2020, photo, passengers wear face shields and face masks along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Wearing of face shields is no longer needed outdoors except in public transportation and crowded places like public markets, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the contention on face shields is on its use in indoor places such as malls and other commercial establishments.

He said President Rodrigo Duterte will discuss the issue in his regular public address “Talk to the People” on Monday night.

“Ang malinaw po ganito, hindi na kinakailangan ng face shield sa labas kasi hindi naman inapela ‘yan ng IATF,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(What is clear is this, the wearing of face shields is no longer required outdoors because this was not appealed by the IATF.)

“Ang inapela lang ng IATF ay ‘yung pagsuot ng face shields sa loob kasama na sa mga malls at iba pang commercial establishments at sa mga pampublikong transportasyon,” he added.

(What the IATF appealed is the wearing of face shields indoors such as malls, and other commercial establishments and public transportation.)

The government’s pandemic task force, or the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, earlier recommended to the President to still require the use of face shields in indoor spaces like:

-hospitals

-schools

-workplaces

-commercial establishments (such as but not limited to food establishments, malls, and public markets)

-public transport and terminals

-places of worship

The task force made the recommendation or “appeal” to the President after Duterte reportedly said the use of face shields will only be required in hospitals, as announced by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and confirmed by Malacañang.

In a separate television interview, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said President Duterte will issue a memorandum on the use of face shields this week.

For now, until the memorandum is yet to be issued, the status quo on face shield use will remain, meaning it has to be worn in all public places, even outdoors, Nograles said.

In an earlier statement, Roque also said that while President Duterte makes a decision on the use of face shields,  “the existing policy on the use of face shields remains in effect.”

It was in December when the government’s pandemic task force required people outside of their residences to wear both face shields and face masks at all times.

JE