Malacañang was not keen on rescinding the order to require the public to wear face shields outdoors, saying that wearing it along with face masks while doing physical distancing was almost equivalent to getting vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Manila Mayor Francisco 'Isko Moreno Domagoso urged the government to scrap the face shield requirement to help lessen the expenses and problems of the public.

In his press briefing on Thursday, Roque, citing health expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña, said the wearing of a face shield helps protect the wearer from COVID-19.

He even went as far as saying it would be equal to getting vaccinated if worn while following other health protocols.

"Statistically, kapag ikaw po ay nag-face mask, face shield, at distancing, halos equivalent po ang proteksyon niyan sa bakuna (if you wear a face mask and face shield and observe distancing, it's almost equivalent to the protection you get from getting vaccinated)," he said.

"It is a scientific fact that the wearing of both face mask and face shield contribute substantially to the reduction of COVID-19 cases," he added.

He said that in terms of expenses, the public will not have to spend much because a lot of people already have their face shields.

"Sa gastos, bagama't nagastusan po ang ating mga kababayan, eh halos lahat naman po meron ng face shield. So wala na pong extra gastos po yan (When it comes to expenses, although the people already spent money for it, most of us have one already so there's no extra expense for that)," Roque said.

"Right now, parang walang kinakailangang (we don't need to) compromise because it is a scientific fact na nakakatulong po ang face shield (that face shields help)," he added.

Meanwhile, the Palace official assured Moreno that the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will take his suggestion into consideration.

"Nakikinig naman po ang ating IATF, I’m sure narinig ng IATF ang rekomendasyon ni Yorme (The IATF listens and I'm sure they heard Mayor Moreno's recommendation)," he said.

"Kung ito ang magiging rekomendasyon ng lahat ng mayors sa Metro Manila, eh talagang pinakikinggan naman po lahat ang ating implementers dahil sila po ang nagpapatupad ng IATF policies (If this will the recommendation of all Metro Manila mayors, then the IATF will listen to them because they are the ones implementing the policies)," he added.