Duterte to issue memo on face shield use — Nograles

Wearing face shields outside of homes remain mandatory pending a memo on its use by President Rodrigo Duterte, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday.

“The President is supposed to issue a memo, perhaps it will come out this week,” Nograles said in an interview on ANC.

“A memo is forthcoming, para maliwanag (so that it is clear). We are on status quo until the memo comes out,” Nograles added.

Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said last week that there is no need to wear face shield when outdoors without crowds where there is low risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, said that President Duterte has agreed that wearing of face shield should only be mandated in hospitals.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, on the other hand, said the President’s word is a policy but with no prejudice to an appeal from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), the policymaking body of the government’s COVID-19 response.

The IATF ultimately recommended wearing of face shield in indoor spaces and in areas where there are crowds.

The Philippines has 57,679 active COVID-19 cases as of June 20. — Llanesca T. Panti/RSJ, GMA News