ILOILO CITY, Aug. 5 (PIA) – Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeiri vows to bring out the concern of Iloilo local chief executives to the Inter-Agency Task Force for an organized going home of locally stranded individuals (LSIs).
This is in response to the concern of League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter president and San Enrique mayor Mediatrix Fernandez.
In today’s Laging Handa Network Briefing hosted by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar, Fernandez aired her appeal to the national government for a systematic and organized transport to Iloilo of LSIs who are coming from high-risk areas like Metro Manila and Cebu.
Fernandez recommended to the national IATF that there should be a coordinating team that will manage the smooth, systematic and organized transport of LSIs so that their health will not be compromised.
On the part of Iloilo province, the local chief executives also proposed for the putting up of a coordinating team that will also coordinate with the national Coordinating Team for the returning LSIs.
Likewise, Fernandez appealed that a time interval in sending home the LSIs to the province be considered in the plan of the national IATF, noting the limited quarantine facilities of the local government units and the slow release of testing results.
Vergeiri said that the national Task Force is having a Sub-Technical Working Group on LSIs that is now finalizing an updated guideline for the management of the going home of LSIs in order not to put too much burden on the LGUs.
She also agreed with Fernandez’ recommendation which she said is “very rationale” to have a desk for the management of returning LSIs per LGU.
On Fernandez’s concern on decontamination and sanitation of transport system for LSIs, Vergeiri assured that minimum health standards are being implemented, as she pledged to present these recommendations to the Sub-Technical Working Group for incorporation in the guidelines to ensure an organized system.
The Laging Handa Network Briefing is organized by the Philippine Information Agency and produced by the Philippine Broadcasting System.
By Jemin B. Guillermo