By Raphaella Sarangaya

Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno declared that the use of face shields will no longer be required in the City of Manila except in medical and hospital facilities on Monday, November 8. 

Moreno signed Manila City’s Executive Order no. 42, series of 2021, which took effect immediately, based on the recent decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Managing Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to lower the alert level status in the National Capital Region (NCR) to Level 2. 

Interior Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said during the government’s Laging Handa briefing on November 4 that Secretary of Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año will propose the lifting of face shields in the next meeting of the government’s anti COVID-19 task force. 

Malaya mentioned that the gradual lift of the mandatory use of face shields, except in hospital settings, medical clinics, and other medical facilities, will be recommended by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In the executive order, Moreno cited Año’s pronouncement on the use of face shields and also pointed out that the Philippines is the only country where the citizens are required to wear face shields on top of their masks in public. 

After releasing the executive order, Mayor Isko Moreno also renewed his call to the government to purchase COVID-19 investigational drugs including Tocilizumab and Remdisivir.

References:

Bolledo, J. (2021, November 8). Face Shields no longer required in Manila except in medical facilities. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/face-shield-no-longer-required-manila-except-medical-facilities

Maralit, K. (2021, November 8). Wearing of face shield no longer mandatory in Manila. The Manila Times. https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/11/08/news/wearing-of-face-shield-no-longer-mandatory-in-manila/1821403

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