IATF assigns members to 'provide stronger support' to local governments under MECQ
MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has assigned its members to "provide stronger support" to local government units it identified as having high transmission rates of COVID-19.
According to the resolution that the task force passed, the IATF members will provide the support "inasmuch as to strictly monitor health system performance, critical care capacity, and stringent compliance to surveillance, isolation and treatment protocols."
The IATF said this is to "operationalize the national government-enabled, local government-led and people-centered response to COVID-19."
| Local Government Unit | Official assigned |
| Quezon City | Health Secretary Francisqo Duque III |
| Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles | |
| Pasig City | Education Secretary Leonor Briones |
| Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat | |
| Pateros | MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim |
| Marikina |
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III |
| CHED Commissioner Prospero De Vera III | |
| Taguig City |
Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año |
| Bases and Conversion Development Authority CEO Vivencio Dizon | |
| City of Manila |
ICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan II |
| Anti-Red Tape Authority Director-General Jeremiah Belgica | |
| Mandaluyong City |
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez |
| Makati City |
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. |
| San Juan City |
Acting NEDA Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua |
| Muntinlupa City | Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade |
| Parañaque City |
Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. |
| Las Piñas City |
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar |
| Pasay City |
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque |
| Caloocan City |
Agriculture Secretary William Dar |
| Malabon City |
Labor Secretary Bello |
| CHED Chairman De Vera | |
| Navotas City |
Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado |
| Valenzuela City | DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña |
| Bulacan |
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra |
| Cavite |
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana |
| Laguna |
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar |
| Rizal |
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi |
While it is yet unclear how the IATF members will work with local government units, President Rodrigo Duterte in June sent Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to Cebu City when it was put under Enhanced Community Quarantine.
Duterte said then that Cimatu would oversee COVID-19 response and "exercise the powers" of the task force there.
"All he has to do, not for permission, but to advise Manila, here, that these things are being done, these things are not yet done, these things must be done," Duterte also said in a mix of English and Filipino.
"He (Cimatu) has to do whatever that has to be done. There's now a hierarchy of laws that we're following here. And, of course, the mandate of General Cimatu comes from the president himself backed up by an executive order. He can exercise all powers that the president can exercise, he has been the beneficiary of delegated authority from the president," presidential spokesperon Harry Roque said on June 24, the same week Cimatu flew to Cebu.
"He gets to exercise all the extraordinary powers of the Office of the President in dealing with the pandemic in Cebu City," he added.
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