NCR mayors agreed to have face shields use non-mandatory —Abalos

The mayors in the National Capital Region (NCR) agreed to make the wearing of face shields optional, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Benhur Abalos said on Monday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Abalos said they want to keep mandatory the wearing of face shields in hospitals, health centers, and public transportation.

“Napag-usapan namin sa face shield. Number 1, ito 'yung isasagot ko sa IATF na tanggalin na po ang face shields, hindi na gawing mandatory except for critical places,” he said.

(We talked about face shields. Number 1, this is what I will tell IATF — to remove [the use of] face shields, and not to make it mandatory except for critical places.)

Abalos said they will support the suggestion of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año about the non-mandatory wearing of face shields.

Meanwhile, in Manila, the wearing of face shields is now non-mandatory in the city under the executive order issued and signed by Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday.

Based on the order, the wearing of face shields will remain mandatory in hospital settings, medical clinics, and other medical facilities.

“…The wearing of face shield in the City of Manila is non-mandatory except in hospital setting, medical clinics, and other medical facilities, which shall remain to be mandatory,” Moreno said.

He cited the lowering to Alert Level 2 of the alert status in NCR and the reports that many IATF officials already want to ditch the wearing of face shields, among others. —KG, GMA News