By Minerva Newman
CEBU CITY — Bohol governor Arthur Yap immediately called for heightened efforts Saturday to protect the province from COVID-19, and asked all mayors to reconsider travel plans to Manila as the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the virus’ first local transmission and the government’s declaration of a Code Red Sub-Level 1.
Yap ordered the provincial local officials to buckle down, and facilitate the mobilization of resources and ease processes, most especially in the procurement of critical equipment and supplies related to monitoring and quarantine measures.
“I have ordered the Provincial Administrator to get in touch with the Provincial Health Office, officials of the Panglao International Airport and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) officials to enforce very strictly a mandatory thermometer scan of all arrivals to Bohol, by sea or air, and to submit their mandatory health declaration cards for monitoring.” Yap said.
Yap said that he was also in touch with Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año who has informed him that the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) meeting in Manila this week will not be mandatory for mayors.
He asked mayors to re-consider their plans to travel to Manila, and instead stay at their posts and prepare their towns to meet the challenges that lie ahead due to the President’s red alert declaration, Yap added.
Yap also bared that Año informed him to prepare and join the officers of the Governor’s League of the Philippines to meet concerned Cabinet officials on Monday to coordinate efforts on the COVID-19 situation.
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