IATF-EID MEETING. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte holds a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on May 25, 2020. Malacañang said Duterte’s next public address and next meeting with IATF-EID members will be held in Davao City on Thursday (June 4, 2020). (Presidential photo by Ace Morandante)
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte will be delivering his next public address after a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) from Davao City, Malacañang said on Monday.
In a virtual presser, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte will be staying in his hometown for the next few days to hold “official functions”.
Roque clarified that the President did not fly to Davao City just to have a reunion with family whom he only saw for three days when he first went there last week.
“Tinitingnan din niya kung ano po ang nangyari diyan sa Mindanao. At, in fact, magkakaroon siya ng mga official functions sa Davao kasama na po ang pag-uulat sa bayan; at ang pagmi-meeting niya sa ilang mga miyembro ng IATF, magaganap po iyan sa Davao (He has to assess also the situation in Mindanao. In fact, he will also have official functions including reporting to the public and meeting members of the IATF),” he said.
Roque said members of the IATF-EID will also be flying to Davao City to attend the meeting with Duterte set on Thursday (June 4).
This is the second time Duterte returned to his hometown amid the prevailing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
On May 16, he returned to Davao City after being stranded in Manila for two months due to the ongoing health crisis
In an interview over DZBB on Monday, Roque doubted that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) would allow the 57-year-old President to go around Mindanao like he used to before the pandemic.
“Nililimitahan din natin yung mga lakad ng Presidente (We are also limiting the President’s activities outdoors),” he said.
Roque also appealed to the public to allow Duterte to stay in his hometown to spend more time with his family.
“Hayaan na muna natin siyang magtagal doon. Hindi pa nakikita ng Presidente lahat ng mahal niya sa buhay doon (Let’s allow him to spend time there. The President hasn’t seen all his loved ones there),” he said.
Before the pandemic, Duterte would usually spend his weekend with his family in Davao City.
He stayed in Manila for the entire duration of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the most stringent community quarantine, to lead the nation’s fight against Covid-19.
Uniformed personnel, government officials and employees for official business with travel authority, and humanitarian assistance staff transporting medical supplies and laboratory specimen are allowed to travel by land, air, or sea under the IATF-EID's omnibus guidelines. (PNA)
