Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has defended the use of face shields anew amid the recent remarks of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno that the government is prioritizing the purchase of these plastic shields.
“Ako panawagan ko sa isang ahensya ng gobyerno ha, bumili naman kayo ng Remdesivir. Bumili naman kayo ng Tocilizumab. Wag lang faceshield ang binili nyo,” Moreno said in an interview with reporters.
The Manila mayor did not name the agency at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Itong gamot ns to nakakatulong to sa tao dapat ito binibili nten. Yung PPE sa ospital, yung face shield saka na lang tutal bumili ka ng bilyon-bilyon na face shield. Kung bumili ka ng 1,000 na Tocilizumab at Php25,000 pesos that is only Php25 Million. Kapag bumili ka ng 10,000 na Tocilizumab at Remdesivir wala ka pang 200 Million nayakap mo pa buong Pilipinas. So ako payo ko talaga sa kanila wag face shield ang bilhin ninyo,” he added.
There has been a shortage of medicines being used for COVID-19 patients while lawmakers are investigating the purchase of overpriced face shields.
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Roque again claimed that face shields are effective in protecting the eyes from COVID-19 infections.
“Epektibo po ‘yan sa pagbigay sa proteksyon ating mga mata, dahil pwedeng pumasok ang COVID-19 sa ating mga mata,” Roque said.
The Department of Health has repeatedly defended the face shield policy even asking the policy for patience and understanding the inconvenience of wearing one.
“Now, I will agree with you considering that this D variant is very aggressive and it can proliferate in such a short period of time,” President Rodrigo Duterte said previously in defending the controversial policy.
Some netizens link the mandatory face shield policy on the corruption scandal and not really for scientific purposes.
“Finally, the Filipino people know the real reason why the PH is the only country where wearing a face shield is mandatory,” a netizen said.
“Will the doctor who pushed face shields stand up and maybe say something about how the face shield mandate only exists to enable a massive procurement scam?” another one said in a report on InterAksyon. (TDT)
