Comelec: Use of face shields on May 9 now ‘voluntary’

The Commission on Elections (Comelec)  will no longer require voters to wear face shields when they go to the polls on May 9.

At a press briefing, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said face shields at voting precincts would now be “voluntary.” 

The Comelec on February 8 reminded candidates and their supporters to wear face shields and face masks

“The use of face shields, even for election day, is now considered voluntary we’re not going to require the people,” Jimenez said.

“Even if it’s Alert Level 1, under IATF rules Level 1 restrictions still include the voluntary use of face shields,” he added.

Jimenez said that the Comelec still would not allow candidates to use 100% capacity of the venues for their campaigns even if the area is placed under Alert Level 1.

“As far as everything else is concerned, the campaigns, we’re already at the minimum health protocols which means we are doing the barest necessary,” he said.

“Wala na tayong mare-relax pa d’yan except ‘yung bilang ng tao na puwdeng pumasok sa venues natin and I think it maxes out at 70%. We still don’t want to do a hundred percent because obviously, may pandemya pa rin level 1 nga lang,” he added.

(There’s nothing that we can relax further except for the number of people that can enter a venue for campaigns and I think it maxes out at 70%. We still don’t want to do a hundred percent because obviously we are still in the pandemic.)

The National Capital Region and several other areas in the country will be placed under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15.

Under Alert Level 1, all establishments, persons, or activities are permitted to operate at 100% capacity.

So far, Jimenez said there are no formal request filed before the Comelec, appealing to relax the poll body’s guidelines.

“We will continue with the guidelines as provided tutal ‘yung (because) guidelines natin calibrated na ‘yan. So responsive na ‘yan sa (to the) changing alert levels,” he said. —NB, GMA News