Duterte lauds OPAV on EOC manual creation

CEBU, Philippines —  President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has lauded the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) for the creation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Manual for COVID-19 response at the city and municipal level.

In a message signed by the President, he congratulated OPAV for publishing the manual which is “designed to help the local implementers of our COVID-19 response in the Visayas, (and) will truly standardize our procedures in combating this disease”.

“I am pleased that our local EOCs will serve as the integrated hub for contact tracing, data gathering and analysis, vaccination roll-outs, and the dissemination of best practices among local government units,” read the message of the President.

OPAV Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, in a statement, said it is important that the operationalization of the EOC reaches the barangay level especially the populous communities.

“We hope that this EOC Manual will serve as an effective guide to our leaders in setting up their system in managing transmission as we move on and move forward in the new normal," Dino said.

 The EOC manual was crafted by IATF-Visayas chief implementor Mel Feliciano and his wife, Mia.

The manual is specifically designed for local government units and public health offices from the provincial level down to the barangay as it helps the latter establish an integrated, centralized, harmonized, synchronized, coordinated, collaborative, and data-driven approach in COVID-19 response.

Aside from capacitating the LGUs with the knowledge, skills, and abilities, it helps cities and municipalities address challenges by establishing an EOC that is more responsive in the fight against COVID-19.

EOC is one of Cebu’s best practices in COVID-19 response at the community level. In June 2020, Cebu was dubbed as the epicenter for COVID-19 since it had the greatest number of cases in the entire country.

The manual calls for the creation of dedicated clusters that result in data-driven, strategic, effective, and efficient virus containment and protection in the community.

Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, in his message, also said the manual showcase some of the best practices of the LGUs towards establishing an EOC which have been the result of the experience of the EOCs in Cebu, Bacolod, and Pagadian.

Dino added that despite of these difficulties, it was also a learning point which paved the way for a convergence of all sectors of society.

It was fundamental, he said, that the public, private, medical, political, and economic sectors would work together and have a unidirectional approach so that solutions would be holistic, harmonized and efficient.

 Duterte also wishes the frontliners in the Visayas to “continue to be more responsive to the needs of the general public, especially the sick, as we continue to overcome and defeat this pandemic.”

“Together, let us work hand in hand in implementing and observing health protocols for the safety and well-being of all Filipinos,” the President added. — KQD (FREEMAN)