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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Isko's lifting of Manila's face shield rule no issue for Año

Isko's lifting of Manila's face shield rule no issue for Año

Published Nov 8, 2021 02:58 pm

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) sees no problem with the decision of Manila Mayor and presidential candidate Isko Moreno to lift the strict use of face shield in Manila.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año explained that the use of face shields was strictly enforced at the time when the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases were high and the vaccines and health care facilities were insufficient.

“Maluwag naman tayo dyan (use of face shield) (We are lenient about that). Remember when we are very strict on face shield it was the time that we don’t have (COVID-19) vaccines and we have a lot of cases and we don’t have enough healthcare facilities.

“Nagbago na yung ano yung situation ngayon. Alert level 2 na nga yung ano e yung Manila (The situation has changed now. Manila is now under alert level 2),’’ he added.

Año said that Metro Manila is low risk for COVID-19 but in high risk areas like hospitals, day care centers and vaccination sites these are the places where face shields should still be worn.

“But for LGUs (local government units) na on (that are) low risk areas wanting to issue ordinances and EOs (executive orders) on the use of face shield hindi na tayo mahigpit dyan, ok lang. Ang Davao nga, voluntary na lang yung (wearing of) face shield dun (we are not strict on that, that is okay. In Davao, wearing face shields is voluntary),’’ Año noted.

Año stressed that the vaccination rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) is already at 87 percent prompting the Department of Health (DOH) to enforce risk-based health protocol policy in Metro Manila.

“Meaning to say kung nasa alert level 4, alert level 3 (LGUs) definitely dapat ay nagpi face shield tayo dyan. At saka kung ang vaccination mo ay mababa e dapat mag face shield ka pa rin dyan kaya nga naka tie up yan sa vaccination rate ng isang area (If the area is under alert level 4, alert level 3 definitely face shields should be worn. And if the vaccination rate is low, wearing face shields should also be mandatory that is why an area is linked with the vaccination rate),’’ he stressed.

The DILG chief explained that it is up to the Metro Manila mayors if they want to “pangunahan (overstep)’’ the authority of the IATF citing that the face shield policy is not a fight to the death issue.

“Hindi katulad ng dati na wala pa tayong bakuna at talagang ang taas taas ng cases natin e talagang strikto tayo dyan (Unlike before when there were no vaccines and the cases were really off the roof. That is why we were really strict then),’’ Año insisted.

He maintained that the local chief executives (LCEs) should be responsible for any eventuality in their face shield policies assuring that he would not take it against them as long as they are reasonable and can catch up with the IATF regulations.

Año pointed out that there are issues that the government should fight for and just adjust to other concerns with all needing to learn to live with the virus. (Chito A. Chavez)

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manila lifting of face shield policy no issue DILG isko moreno Eduardo Año 2
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