The city government of Manila has lifted the mandatory use of face shields when going out, except in medical and hospital facilities.
Executive Order No. 42 issued on Monday declared the use of face shields as mandatory in the city only in hospital settings, medical clinics, and other medical facilities.
“But in the malls, in the streets, or anywhere in their barangays and communities and business, it is not mandatory anymore para naman sa ganoon, maibsan naman yung gastusin ng mga tao (to ease financial burden on the people),” Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso said in an ambush interview after the flag-raising ceremony outside the City Hall.
The order follows the November 4 decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF EID) to lower the Alert Level Status in Metro Manila from No. 3 to No. 2.
“Alert Level 2 refers to areas wherein case transmission is low and decreasing, healthcare utilization is low, or case counts are low but increasing, or case counts are low and decreasing but total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate are increasing,” the order read.
City of Manila Executive Order No. 42 on Monday (Nov. 8, 2021) declaring the use of face shields mandatory only in hospitals and medical facilities (Courtesy of Manila-PIO)
The order also cited several news reports wherein Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said that several members of the IATF-EID are in favor of ditching mandatory face shield use.
However, Domagoso clarified that wearing face mask is still necessary as the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic remains.
“Basta sa Maynila, hindi na po mandatory ang face shield, only sa mga ating medical facility na lamang. Para mawalan na kayo ng alalahanin, gastusin, makakahinga na kayo ng normal except magma-mask pa din kayo ha. Mask is a must. Kailangan pa rin natin mag-mask kahit tayo’y bakunado (In Manila, the use of face shield is no longer mandatory, only in medical facilities. This will lessen the burden, financially, and you will be able to breathe better, but you still have to wear a mask even if you are already vaccinated),” Domagoso said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
