Iloilo scraps policy on face shield use

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The use of face shields in this city is no longer mandatory.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved yesterday the recommendation of Mayor Jerry Treñas to lift the face shield policy.

Treñas cited studies showing that face shields are ”not proven effective in blocking cough aerosols as compared to masks.”

He said COVID-19 cases in the city have decreased, which he attributed to the intensified vaccination campaign.

At least 254,581 residents or 75.96 percent of the city’s eligible population have been vaccinated.

“Battling this deadly virus and exhausting all efforts to curb surges in our cases, we learn not to allow ourselves to remain in the confines brought by the discomfort in wearing face shield and/or eye protector,” Treñas said.

Curfew hours in the city were also lifted effective at midnight today under an executive order issued by Treñas.

The EO also allows an increase in public transport capacity to 70 percent.

The city recorded single-digit COVID cases in the past four days and fewer than 20 infections in the past week.

‘Impractical’

Meanwhile, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she wants to scrap the ”impractical” policy of wearing face shields in public utility vehicles.

Garcia said she would meet with officials of the Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Central Visayas regional office to discuss her proposal.

In Cebu City, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) said it would not yet recommend the lifting of curfew hours even as COVID cases are decreasing.

“We don’t want to lose right away what we have gained over the past turbulent months.  We have to be circumspect in everything that we do especially with the coming holidays,” Councilor and EOC deputy chief implementer Joel Garganera said.

He stressed the need to assess the situation in the next two weks and intensify the vaccination campaign to hit their target before the end of the year.

Curfew hours in Cebu City are from 11:30 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla, city police deputy director for operations, said the curfew ordinance should stay as it contributed to a drop not only in COVID cases but also in the crime volume.

In Pangasinan, curfew hours were shortened after the province was downgraded to modified general community quarantine this month.

From the previous 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., curfew hours in the province are now from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m under an EO issued by Gov. Amado Espino III.

Provincial health officer Anna Teresa de Guzman said COVID cases in the province continue to decrease. – Mary Ruth Malinao, Iris Hazel Mascardo, Le Phyllis Antojado/The Freeman, Eva Visperas