Face shields optional on May 9
THE Commission on Elections on Tuesday announced that voters will no longer be required to wear face shields when they go to the polls on May 9.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said face shields at voting precincts will now be “voluntary.”
Last February 8, the Comelec reminded candidates and their supporters to wear face shields and face masks at campaign sorties.
“The use of face shields, even for election day, is now considered voluntary we’re not going to require the people. Even if it’s Alert Level 1, under IATF rules Level 1 restrictions still include the voluntary use of face shields,” he said.
Jimenez said the Comelec will still allow candidates to use 100% capacity of the venues for their campaigns even if the area is placed under Alert Level 1.
“As far as everything else is concerned, the campaigns, we’re already at the minimum health protocols which means we are doing the barest necessary. Wala na tayong mare-relax pa d’yan except ‘yung bilang ng tao na puwdeng pumasok sa venues natin and I think it maxes out at 70%. We still don’t want to do a hundred percent because obviously, may pandemya pa rin level 1 nga lang,” Jimenez stressed.
The National Capital Region and several other areas in the country are now under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15.
Under Alert Level 1, all establishments, persons, or activities are permitted to operate at 100% capacity.
So far, Jimenez said there are no formal request filed before the Comelec, appealing to relax the poll body’s guidelines.
“We will continue with the guidelines as provided tutal ‘yung (because) guidelines natin calibrated na ‘yan. So responsive na ‘yan sa (to the) changing alert levels,” he said.
