Senator Joel Villanueva on Tuesday, June 22, underscored the need of having "clear and definite" policies from the government to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts to the country.

“Importante po na naiintidihan natin na multi-faceted ang isang polisiya. Sana naman po hindi nakailang-ulit na about face sa ating policy. Kapag ang resulta ay tanggal-suot, nakakalito na (It's important that we understand that a policy can be multi-faceted. I just hope that we do not have to make several about-faces in our polcies. It's confusing),” Villanueva said.

The senator issued the statement referring to the government’s pronouncements on the mandatory use of face shields.

President Duterte, after agreeing with senators during a brief conversation to limit the use of face shields in hospitals, decided to keep the face shield policy amid the emergence of the Delta coronavirus variant.

Villanueva was among the senators who were with Duterte when the Chief Executive supposedly agreed to ease the face shield policy.

“Policy matters. Para hindi rin nakakalito, sana po pakiusap natin na isang tao lamang ang nagsasalita (To prevent connfusion, we appeal that only one person should be making pronouncements) for consistency in announcing a rule, which carries a fine or penalty in some areas that many of our people find it hard to understand,” Villanueva said.

“Naniniwala rin po tayo kapag malinaw po ang polisiya, mas madali pong makakapag-adjust ang mga tagapagpatupad at hindi malilito ang taumbayan (If there are clear policies, implementers will find it easier to adjust and the people will not be confused),” he pointed out.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente Sotto III slammed the retention of the face shield policy, asking health experts to provide studies proving its effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 infection.