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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider IATF process in lifting face shield policy must be respected, says Roque

IATF process in lifting face shield policy must be respected, says Roque

Published Nov 9, 2021 02:30 pm

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday, November 9, admitted that he personally wants to scrap the face shield policy in the country but appealed to local government units (LGUs) to wait for the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and to respect President Duterte.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno (OPS/FILE PHOTO/MANILA BULLETIN)

Members of the IATF, which is led by the President, and in which Roque serves as spokesperson, will meet on Thursday to decide on the use of face shields nationwide. The Philippines is the only country in the world to have a mandatory face shield policy.

“Ako po ang personal na paninindigan ko dapat talaga tanggalin na ang face shield pero idaan natin sa proseso (For me, my personal stand is we need to remove the face shield but we have to go through the process),” Roque said in his virtual presser.

“Hindi po pupwede kasing nagkakanya-kanya sa panahon ng pandemya. Siguro po kung hindi batas ang pinag-uusapan, respeto na lang po sa ating presidente. Lahat naman po ng desisyon ng IATF ay desisyon ng presidente. Ang sa akin lang po i-daan sa proseso (We cannot be doing this individually during the time of pandemic. If we are not talking about the law, just respect the president. All the decisions of the IATF are decisions of the President),” Roque added.

Metro Manila mayors held a meeting on Monday, Nov. 8, and agreed to limit the use of face shields in medical settings such as hospitals.

READ: Metro mayors agree to scrap use of face shields — MMDA

But Manila Mayor Francisco 'Isko Moreno' Domagoso, who Roque claimed failed to attend the meeting, already signed an order lifting the face shield policy in the country’s capital.

The Palace official warned that Moreno’s order is “null and void” because of an existing policy decreed by the President.

Moreno balked at the remark, saying that mayors are not under the chain of command of the Chief Executive because they are not military personnel.

He is not the only local chief executive to scrap the use of face shields in the National Capital Region.

READ: Wearing of face shields no longer required in Manila

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas already issued an order a week ago while presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio also signed an executive order making the wearing of face shield voluntary only in “crowded places, close-contact settings, and confined and enclosed spaces.”

Roque said it is up to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to deal with the local chief executives who went against the IATF policy on the mandatory use of face shields.

“Pinaubaya namin sa DILG. Mula’t mula po jurisdiksyon po ‘yan ng DILG (We’re letting DILG deal with that. From the start, that is the jurisdiction of the DILG),” the spokesman added.

“Sa akin po, kung ayaw nya talaga ng sumunod siguro po pagpapakita lang ng respeto sa proseso dahil pinakikinggan naman po ang boses ng lahat (For me, if he really doesn’t want to follow he can just show respect for the process because everyone’s voice is being heard),” he stressed.

He warned that non-compliance to the IATF policy will send a wrong message to the public that they can get away with the regulations being issued by the national government’s pandemic task force.

Related Tags

President Duterte Harry Roque Face shields DILG isko moreno IATF
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