Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque considers orders by local chief executives to lift the mandatory use of face shields as 'null and void'.
Roque made the remark in response to the decision of Manila mayor Francisco 'Isko Moreno' Domagoso to sign Executive Order No. 42 that only requires the wearing of the face shields in hospitals and other medical facilities.
Roque stressed that President Rodrigo Duterte or the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has yet to change their stand on the mandatory use of face shields.
"Another way of looking at it, null and void siya for being in violation of an existing executive policy decreed by the President himself in the exercise of police powers," Roque said on Monday, November 8, during a virtual press briefing.
The Palace official urged all local chief executives to comply with the directives of the IATF, and assured that the national government will study the calls to scrap the face shield policy.
"Ang aking pakiusap sa mga local government units natin, sa ating mga mayor, lahat ng mayor ay under the control and supervision of the President in the executive branch of government. At ang desisyon naman po ng IATF ay desisyon din ng ating Presidente," Roque said.
"Kinakailangan lahat ng mga mayor ay sumunod pa rin sa mga polisiya ng IATF hanggang hindi po ito nababago. Ang aking pangako naman, pinag-aaralan naman ng IATF kung kinakailangan o pupuwede ng tanggalin ang paggamit po ng face shields," he added.
Aside from Manila City, the cities of Davao and Iloilo also no longer mandate the wearing of face shields.
