The Muntinlupa City Council has enacted an ordinance scrapping the mandatory use of face shields in the city.
Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro told Manila Bulletin that the City Council enacted the ordinance on Nov. 8. The ordinance, he said, lifted the mandatory use of face shields except in hospitals and clinics.
The approval of the ordinance came ahead of the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the use of face shields.
Interior Sec. Eduardo Año defended the issuance of executive orders (EOs) by Manila and Davao scrapping the use of face shields, saying mayors and local government units have the power to issue executive orders and ordinances under Republic Act 7160, the Local Government Code of 1991.
He cited Section 16 of the code, which states that “every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied there from, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare.”
Año was reacting to the comment by presidential spokesman Harry Roque who said the EOs are “null and void” for violating an executive order issued by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Last September, Duterte decided to do away with face shields except in situations and places under 3Cs--closed spaces, crowded areas, and close contact.
Año said he will not hold the EO against LGUs which are classified as low risk. The National Capital Region (NCR) was downgraded to Alert Level 2 from Level 3 due to a decrease in COVID-19 cases.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos said Monday that the official position of Metro Manila mayors is to scrap the use of face shields except in hospitals, health centers, and public transport vehicles. The position of the Metro Manila mayors will be submitted to the IATF.