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IATF execs laud CDO, NorMin's Covid-19 response

By Nef Luczon

August 20, 2020, 2:16 pm

<p><strong>NTF IN REGION 10.</strong> Peace process Secretary Carlito Galvez (center), and chief implementer of the National Action Plan on Covid-19, leads a meeting with regional and local officials in Northern Mindanao in Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday (Aug. 19, 2020) via teleconference. Galvez says he is satisfied with the region's Covid-19 response, particularly Cagayan de Oro City's balanced approach to protect public health while keeping the economy alive. <em>(Photo courtesy of Nef Luczon)</em></p>

NTF IN REGION 10. Peace process Secretary Carlito Galvez (center), and chief implementer of the National Action Plan on Covid-19, leads a meeting with regional and local officials in Northern Mindanao in Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday (Aug. 19, 2020) via teleconference. Galvez says he is satisfied with the region's Covid-19 response, particularly Cagayan de Oro City's balanced approach to protect public health while keeping the economy alive. (Photo courtesy of Nef Luczon)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Cabinet officials have recognized Northern Mindanao region's response to the coronavirus disease crisis, describing the region's "proactive" strategies to keep the cases down as "exemplary."

Peace process Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the government's chief implementer of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Covid-19, cited Cagayan de Oro's "balanced approach" to manage the infections while keeping the economy open.

Galvez was here Wednesday together with other members of the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to meet with the members of the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) to assess the implementation and receive updates on the government's Covid-19 response in Northern Mindanao.

"We are here under orders from the President to look into the situation (of local government units), and he (President Rodrigo Duterte) told us to provide additional help," Galvez told regional and local officials.

Galvez described Cagayan de Oro as "one inspiring city" that other local government units can emulate in terms of managing Covid-19 cases, including its approaches to localized transmission.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar agreed, saying the city government's "proactive response and the way it balanced the flow between the economy and public health would be a fine model for other local government units."

Meanwhile, Galvez also commended the city government's initiative to assist neighboring Iligan City by admitting a number of its Covid-19 patients to its own patient care centers, saying this reflected the Filipinos' "bayanihan" values.

Mayor Oscar Moreno said helping Iligan City manage its own cases was also a practical approach, noting that the two cities are important economic hubs in the region.

“We shared the same past, the same history. We are the gateway to Mindanao and we need to help them because one's problem is everybody's problem," Moreno said.

As for balancing the economic and public health concerns, Moreno said local government units should be worried about both and must find ways to keep the economy running while not sacrificing public health.

“Public health should still be at paramount at all times. But we cannot kill the economy in the name of public health, we cannot kill education in the name of public health,” Moreno said.

Meanwhile, Andanar cited the best practices of the region, noting that the RIATF has campaigned to accelerate efforts to establish more testing laboratories, and came up with regional recovery program with considerations to health and economy.

The RIATF, through the Department of Health-Region10, briefed Galvez and Cabinet officials on the current Covid-19 situation in the region, including the rising cases attributed to local transmission in Iligan City, as well as the steps that have been taken to reduce infections there.

In response, Galvez said at least 16 engineers from the Philippine Red Cross will arrive in the region to survey existing medical facilities for the installation of more testing laboratories that can test more than 2,000 samples daily.

Andanar said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region 10 has already provided PHP17.1-million financial assistance to returning displaced overseas Filipino workers.

Galvez, Andanar, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong also led a "training of trainers" among local contact tracing teams. (PNA)

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