The DILG sees no issue with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s decision to lift the face shield policy in Manila.
DILG — The Department of the Interior and Local Government sees no issue with Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso’s decision to lift the face shield policy in Manila.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año explained that the use of face shields was strictly enforced at the time when the coronavirus cases were high and health care facilities and COVID-19 vaccines were insufficient.
According to Año, Metro Manila was low-risk for COVID-19 but in high-risk areas like daycare centers, hospitals, and vaccination sites. He also said that those were the places wherein face shields should still be worn.
“But for LGUs (local government units) na on low-risk areas wanting to issue ordinances and EOs (executive orders) on the use of face shield hindi na tayo mahigpit dyan, ok lang. Ang Davao nga, voluntary na lang yung (pagsuot ng) face shield dun,” Año noted.
READ ALSO: Malacañang Warns LGUs vs Lifting Face Shield Policy In PH
Año also stressed that the vaccination rate in Metro Manila was already at 87% prompting the Department of Health (DOH) to enforce risk-based health protocol policy in the National Capital Region (NCR).
He explained that it’s up to the Metro Manila mayors if they wanted to “pangunahan (overstep)” the authority of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) citing that the face shield policy wasn’t a fight-to-the-death issue.
Año maintained that the LCEs (local chief executives) should be responsible for any eventuality in their face shield policies assuring that he wouldn’t take it against them as long as they’re reasonable and can catch up with the IATF regulations.
Moreover, he pointed out that there were issues that the government should fight for and just adjust to other concerns with all needing to learn to live with the coronavirus.
Año’s statement came after Malacañang recently warned LGUs against lifting the face shield policy.
“Ang desisyon po ngayon ay kailangan ipatupad muna ang mga face shields habang pinagaaralan po,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said. “Kaunting pasensya lang po, kailangan sundin yung chain of command sa executive branch of the government.”
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