Face shields can now be removed outdoors, but not in closed and crowded areas — Duterte

You don't have to wear a face shield outdoors anymore, President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Sept. 22.

"Pwede na tanggalin sa labas, no more face shields outside," Duterte said in his late-night Talk to the People address.

Wearing a face shield , however, is still required in areas classified as 3Cs: closed, crowded, and close contact.

This decision comes after Duterte approved the technical advisory group's (TAG) and medical experts' recommendations on face shields.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Usec. Epimaco Densing told DZMM Teleradyo on Sept. 23 that it will further define the description of 3Cs areas.

"Sa bago nating panuntunan na gagawin idedefine nating ang mga lugar na crowded, tulad ng mga palengke," he said. "We will be very specific kung ano itong mga crowded areas."

The public and lawmakers have questioned the effectiveness of face shields in protecting its wearers against COVID-19 in the past, with some people saying it's an additional cost for Filipinos.

The government first required the public to wear face shields in December 2020. The Philippines is the only country requiring people to wear it indoors and outdoors.

In June, Duterte announced lifting the face shield requirement outdoors, but he later reversed his decision the same day, later on explaining that he flipflopped due to the threat of the more transmissible Delta variant.