Iloilo council tackling face shield use issue —mayor

Iloilo City officials will discuss on Tuesday the issue on the mandatory use of face shields in the city, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.

Treñas, who last week announced that face shields are no longer required in the city, issued the statement after Malacañang said local government units should wait for a national policy first.

"Considering that there is an existing ordinance on the same, I requested the City Council to suspend the provisions on the requirement on face shields," Treñas said on Facebook.

"The City Council is meeting today on the matter."

Treñas explained that his November 4 order scrapping the mandatory use of face shields was based on the decreasing COVID-19 cases and high vaccination rate in the city.

He also cited studies that face shields are "not effective blockers of cough aerosols."

"Under a pandemic, the LGUs (local government units) all comply with all health standards, but the matter of the face shield is not backed by medical or scientific studies," Treñas said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier asked the LGUs to  hold their executive orders or issuances for the meantime and wait for the decision of the Inter Agency Task Force regarding the matter.

Treñas said he would wait for the result of the deliberation by the City Council.

"The City Council will deliberate the matter of the face shields requirement this morning and as city mayor, I will await the results of the same," he said. —Giselle Ombay/KBK, GMA News