The San Juan City local government said on Tuesday that it will not lift the mandatory use of face shields until the national government orders it.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora issued the statement a day after Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso passed an ordinance on Monday, Nov. 8, allowing the voluntary use of face shields except in medical facilities and high-risk areas in the city, and the meeting with the Metro Manila Council (MMC) wherein all the Metro mayors agreed to recommend the suspension of the order mandating the use of face shields to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases..
"Once the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) gives the go-signal to lift this, I will issue the necessary executive order and amend current ordinances which penalize people not using face shields," Zamora said in an interview with ANC.
"If and when i-lift ng IATF, we will amend the ordinance ang penalty para na lang sa non-wearing of face masks, di na face shield (for the non-wearing of face masks only and not anymore with non-wearing of face shield). I call on everyone to just wait for two more days," he added.
The mayor explained that he understands and respect Moreno's decision to stop the mandatory use of face shields.
"I believe he is correct because the Local Government Code vests upon us this authority," Zamora said.
"The policy of the Metro Manila Council is to always act as one not just in the decision of face shield and the time of curfew. The MMC would always take a common stand. This was the agreement last Sunday of those mayors present including myself. I respect the decision of Mayor Isko," he added.