Palace to LGUs: Identify possible isolation centers

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has directed all local government units (LGUs), including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, to identify government facilities that may be converted into isolation and quarantine facilities, as the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country is expected to rise.

Secretary to the Cabinet Karlo Nograles said the inter-agency task force for the management of emerging infectious diseases has come up with the tack to ensure that all LGUs around the country would have isolation areas to house persons under monitoring (PUM) and persons under investigation (PUI). The same order is given to government-owned and controlled corporations.

The National Incident Command of the National Task Force on COVID-19 and the Task Group on Resource Management and Logistics will collate the list of these identified facilities so that the task force can monitor their operations and ensure smooth deployment of supplies.

In Metro Manila, the government has designated the Philippine General Hospital, San Lazaro Hospital and the Lung Center of the Philippines as COVID-19 centers as some major private hospitals have reached full capacity and run out of resources.

President Duterte has declared a nationwide state of calamity in response to the COVID-19 crisis. In Luzon, an enhanced community quarantine limits movements to essential activities.

The DOH has recorded a total of 54 deaths and 31 recoveries. The total number of cases reached 803 by 4 p.m. on Friday.

Nograles said the task force had also directed the Department of Tourism and other government agencies “to coordinate with entities under their respective regulatory authorities, as applicable, in identifying facilities that may be temporarily designated for isolation or quarantine purposes.”

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been directed to conduct site inspections and commence work on the identified facilities as approved by the national task force.

To enable the DPWH to promptly prepare the facilities, Nograles said the department may accredit construction workers for the project.

“Such accredited workers shall be exempted from the strict home quarantine requirement,” Nograles said.

The task force is allowing establishments involved in the production, manufacturing, packaging, processing and distribution of food to operate at a maximum of 50 percent of their respective workforces.

The task force has also provided authority to the Department of Trade and Industry to approve the increase of workforce capacity temporarily.