By Junex Doronio
PRESUMED PRESIDENTIAL material Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has virtually ruled out wearing face shields by her constituents, some of whom are saying that they would only look like the villain Darth Vader of the Star Wars movies.
This was her reaction to a Department of Transportation (DOTr) memorandum dated August 3 that wearing face shields will be required for everyone traveling via public transport beginning August 15, 2020.
“Ato i-suggest nga baluton nalang ang driver (I will suggest that we’ll place a covered barrier between the driver and the passengers),” Duterte-Carpio said in an interview via 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
She pointed out that some face shields, depending on the materials used, can even be distracting to the driver.
She stressed that face shields are still “not required for the general public” in Davao City.
The mayor, however, noted that the city government has mandated the wearing of face shields “for employees and establishments where there is a high volume of people moving inside the premises.”
She also said face shields are only required for people working in enclosed places and in areas where people are constantly dealing with many persons.
Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio kept mum if ever she has dreamed of succeeding her father.
It can be recalled that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, during the latter’s visit to Kuta General Teodulfo Bautista Headquarters in Jolo, Sulu last July 13, teased the mayor to run for president in 2022 if she is “patriotic enough.”
Dutete-Carpio’s curt reply: “We are in the time of the pandemic, maybe let’s not talk about things that are not yet in front of us.”
