By Deighton Acuin

PHOTO: Philippine Daily Inquirer

The policy mandating the use of face shields outdoors is based on science and not on business interests, Malacañang insisted Thursday.

“I don’t know of any 'raket' involving face shields. I understand that wearing one could be difficult; I wear glasses, and when I wear a face shield they fog up, but we have to believe the science,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a media presser.

Roque also claimed that a study released by Lancet Journal, which was widely known in the field of medicine, found that face shields provide another layer of protection against coronavirus disease transmission.

“Lancet published a study showing wearing a face shield helps in reducing COVID-19 infection. Suma total, with face shield, face mask, at [social] distancing, 97% talaga ang protection,” Roque said.

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte declared during his weekly address that face shields are still required to be worn outdoors, weeks after the government released “confusing” pronouncements regarding the matter.

Roque then said there is no issue on “flip-flopping” policies as the country is adapting to contain more infectious COVID-19 variants like the Delta variant which is first detected in India.

“It will continue, the process of adapting, as this disease further develops and mutates, magpapatuloy po ‘yan. At wala pong flip-flopping dyan dahil tayo ay nagpapatupad ng mga proteksyon alinsunod na rin sa kung paano nag mutate ang virus,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III has called for an investigation into the government's position on whether or not face shields should be used.