An official of the Davao City COVID-19 Task Force clarified that while there is already an executive order making the voluntary use of face shields, establishments still have the prerogative to require clients and guests to wear them.
Speaking during the COVID-19 Alert program aired on the Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Wednesday, Davao City COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said that some establishments continue to require the wearing of face shields, which brought confusion to the public.
On November 2, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte issued Executive Order No. 51-A, making face shields optional in 3Cs settings: crowded places, close-contact settings, and confined and enclosed spaces as cases of COVID-19 in the city significantly dropped.
“Our good mayor released an Executive Order 51. Kini siya naga-ingon nga voluntary nalang ang pag-wear ug face shield sa all types of establishments and all type of setting katong 3C nato (This EO states that wearing of face shields is now voluntary in all types of establishments and all types of setting),” Schlosser said.
She added, “However, Sa section 3 ng EO 31-B makit-an didto na katong offices, private offices, hospitals, and all other establishments may require mandatory use of face shield within their property. That would be the prerogative of the management.”
Schlosser said that establishments have the authority to refuse clients who are not wearing face shields as part of their company rule.
“They can actually do that because the executive order specified nga pwede mag-mandatory use by virtue of prerogative sa isa ka establishment or isa ka company na ipa-mandatory ang face shield sa ilahang employees, clients, and guests,” Schlosser underscored.
On the other hand, individuals may also wear face shields if they want, especially inside public utility vehicles and public utility jeepneys as an added protection against the virus but it is non-mandatory.CIO