The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) stressed that each barangay should have its own contact tracer team as the country battles the surging number of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said that all business centers should have their own contact tracing teams.
The call was made after the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines skyrocketed to 98,232 on Aug. 1 and a record-high 4,963 new infections were recorded by the Department of Health (DoH).
In combating the pandemic further, Año assured that local government units (LGUs) will continue to be at the forefront in the contact tracing, testing, and referrals to the hospitals of COVID-19 patients in their localities.
He noted the DILG has issued Memorandum Circular 2020-077 that compels the LGUs to establish their own task forces against COVID-19.
In the midst of the fight against the pandemic, Año asked the public to be resilient in preventing the transmission of the disease by adhering strictly to quarantine protocols.
“Help us ensure participative and effective governance as we undertake to implement the national action plan for COVID 19,’’ said Año.