DILG wants hotlines vs gatherings, karaoke

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered local officials and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to set up their own hotlines through which violations of coronavirus health protocols could be reported this Christmas season.

At a press briefing yesterday organized by the Department of Health (DOH), DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said local government units, barangays and the PNP should make sure the ban on mass gatherings and video or karaoke is strictly implemented.

Densing said that through the hotlines, the public can report anyone or any incident violating health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“They also have to be ready to respond whenever they receive reports of mass gatherings happening. Video and karaoke are strictly prohibited because it has been proven that these activities can spread the virus,” he added.

According to Densing, the PNP had issued a directive a month ago that it will be using social media to determine violations.

“Our police and other authorities will come to you to verify if you violate protocols and then appropriate actions can be taken against you,” he maintained.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) yesterday called on the public to help the government check whether business establishments are complying with health protocols designed to contain COVID-19.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who is also IATF vice chairman, said ensuring that health measures are observed is a joint undertaking and responsibility of the government, private establishments, service providers and consumers.

“We urge everyone to help the government. The public must also be vigilant; while it’s our responsibility as officials, we also ask and enjoin our private partners, our business establishments and even the consuming public (to help us),” Nograles said at a press briefing.

Nograles said the government would launch a safety seal certification mechanism that would allow the public to report non-compliant business establishments.

“What we are doing in Stay Safe (contact tracing application) and safety seal, once we launch them, even consuming public and customers will also be given the empowerment to police these establishments. They will check if establishments use Stay Safe and whether they should be given a safety seal. If not, they can report and all of us can police them,” he added.

Nograles said the IATF has endorsed the establishment of a safety seal certification program to balance the health and safety of citizens with the need to reopen the economy.

Dubbed as “Safe Dito” (It’s safe here), the program aims to increase the public’s confidence in patronizing establishments with stringent health, safety and contact tracing protocols.

One major requirement for the certification is the adoption of StaySafe PH system as contact tracing tool. Local governments would issue the safety seal certification to establishments in their jurisdictions, Nograles said.

Local governments will be asked to perform regular audits on establishments to ensure that they continuously observe the required safety protocols. If the establishment is found to have failed in following protocols, the safety seal would be revoked.

The IATF also encouraged the public to use the StaySafe.ph contact tracing application to track the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Nograles said people could simply scan QR codes with their smartphones when entering establishments like malls, banks, restaurants, as well as buses and trains under the digital program.

The mobile application may be downloaded for free and does not require prepaid load to function. More than 40,000 establishments are using the contact tracing system.

Set example

Sen. Bong Go urged yesterday fellow government officials to set a good example in observing health protocols to avoid the transmission of COVID-19 this Christmas.

Go said the government has sufficiently reminded the public, including government officials, to follow health protocols to prevent the further spread of the disease and avert a second wave of infections.

“I’m sure by now every Filipino knows, eight months have passed and the government campaign is not lacking. It is up to every Filipino to follow the reminder,” Go said.

“You must obey, if you do not want to obey, it means you want to get sick,” he added.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, joined by officials of DOH, echoed the same reminder to government officials and warned them of penalties should they violate the health protocols.

“If a government official is invited to an event and he cannot assure that minimum health standards [will] be implemented during that event, it would be best if the government official will just decline to attend,” Malaya said.

“If, however, even government officials cannot comply, how can we expect the general public to comply?” he said.

Emphasizing that the month of December is crucial in the government’s fight against COVID-19, Go enjoined Filipinos to celebrate the holidays with the family and refrain from inviting guests.

“So, this December is crucial. It is important that you and your loved ones are together. Do not invite different guests so that they do not spread or become infected,” said Go, warning that the holiday season may cause a spike in new infections.

Go reminded the public that the best gift to loved ones this Christmas season is to protect the health of the community by showing compassion and cooperation.

“It takes a little sacrifice,” he said in Filipino. “Let us join the bayanihan efforts and take care of our fellow human beings so that we can overcome the challenges faster and we can rise again as a united and more stable nation,” he added.

Can’t afford lockdown?The Philippines cannot afford another wide lockdown, the trade department said yesterday, following concerns about a possible post-holiday surge in COVID-19 infections.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the country’s COVID-19 numbers are not alarming even if lockdowns have become localized.

“We cannot afford another wide lockdown. What we have agreed so far is a granular lockdown system and that has been working very well since maybe July or August. We will continue to do that,” Lopez said at a virtual press briefing.

“We have been very, very cautious in terms of reopening (the economy), very safely done, gradually. We are seeing the numbers and so far, there is no cause for alarm,” he added.

Lopez, however, believes problems may arise if minors are allowed to go to malls.

Earlier this month, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said a strict lockdown may be enforced after the holidays if COVID-19 infections overwhelm the country’s healthcare system.

She clarified that there are no discussions yet on the implementation of a lockdown but the government is bracing for the possibility of a surge in the number of cases because of the holiday season.

Metro Manila, Batangas, Iloilo City, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan, Davao City and Davao del Norte are under general community quarantine (GCQ) this December while the rest of the country are under the most lenient modified GCQ. — Alexis Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe