Lapu-Lapu lifts face shield rule; Mandaue still sees need to wear face shields

In Lapu-Lapu City, Mayor Junard Chan has lifted the wearing of face shields in the city except for hospitals and medical facilities. | Inquirer.net file photo

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City has formally lifted its face shield requirement on Thursday, November 11, 2021.

Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan said he already signed the executive order for the matter though it was not released yet as of this writing.

Chan said though that face shield would still be required in hospitals and medical institutions. 

Meanwhile, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said the city would definitely lift the face shield requirement soon but not right now.

Cortes said he did not want to rush things, especially since the city’s fight against COVID-19 was doing well with the number of cases decreasing, and Christmas was fast approaching.

Cortes said that he understood the residents because when he wore a face shield he also somehow felt difficulty in breathing, but still he said the city would need to make slow adjustments especially that they had been loosening restrictions recently.

He said they would clarify the protocol first with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) about the matter.

Earlier, Mandaue City Emergency Operations Center head, Lawyer August Lizer Malate said the city was experiencing almost the same status last year, where the city only had a few COVID cases but days after the long holiday season, the number of cases surged again. 

It can be recalled that Cebu City first lifted the requirement while the Cebu province had already loosened the use of face shields in public places.

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