March 29, 2024

Police officers will continue to warn persons who are not wearing face shields in both open and enclosed spaces, Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar said.

“We will caution first those not wearing face shields. Most of our countrymen are used to wearing a face shield and for those who are not wearing it, let’s just remind them for now,” Eleazar said in a statement.

This came as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte the continued mandatory wearing of face shields.

“The latest recommendation of the IATF to the President is to continue making mandatory the wearing of face shields in enclosed spaces, commercial areas, public transport, terminals, and even places of worship,” he said.

Eleazar said that the PNP will wait for the issuance of new guidelines based on the President’s decision.

“If there are any changes, the PNP will wait for the amended guidelines to be lowered so that we can implement that. For now, it’s status quo and we will first follow what the guidelines say to avoid confusing the public in this matter,” he said.

In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Duterte has agreed that the public should only be required to wear a face shield when they go to hospitals.

Sotto, during a Senate Committee of the Whole hearing on Tuesday, noted that the Philippines is the only country in the world requiring the use of face shield in public spaces.

On June 17, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the use of face shield will remain in effect while waiting for Duterte’s decision on the IATF’s appeal. – PNA