Muntinlupa City lifts mandatory use of face shield
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi on Friday signed an ordinance lifting the mandatory use of face shield.
Ordinance No. 2021-290, enacted by the Muntinlupa City Council, provides that “all persons found in the City of Muntinlupa shall no longer be required to wear face shields outside of residence and in any public or private establishments, except in hospitals and clinics.”
The ordinance was passed ahead of the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the use of face shield as the National Capital Region is now under the less strict Alert Level 2 until Nov. 21 and the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases has greatly decreased.
Fresnedi and other mayors under the Metro Manila Council earlier signed a resolution urging the IATF to scrap the use of face shields except in hospitals, health centers and public utility vehicles.
In enacting the ordinance, Muntinlupa councilors cited Republic Act No. 716, or the Local Government Code, which provides powers to local government units (LGUs) in passing local laws.
Under the law’s Section 16, LGUs “shall exercise power expressly granted those necessarily implied therefrom. 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."
In addition, Muntinlupa’s own city charter, Republic Act 7926, provides under Section 11 that "The Sanggunian shall approve ordinances which shall ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the basic services and facilities as provided under the Local Government Code and in addition to said services and facilities, shall approve measures and adopt quarantine regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases.”
The ordinance stated that “due to high percentage of vaccinated individuals and the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases, the Sangguniang Panlungsod deems it necessary to allow the non-use of face shield in public and private establishments with certain exceptions.”
Many netizens have praised the ordinance. People have complained that using the face shield is bothersome in addition to the face mask.
As of Nov. 12, Muntinlupa’s active COVID-19 cases stood at 98 out of 27,512 confirmed cases, 26,840 recoveries and 574 deaths.