The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday launched “BIDA ang may Disiplina: Solusyon sa COVID-19” advocacy campaign in Marikina City in a bid to inculcate public discipline in this time of a health crisis.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that the “BIDA ang may Disiplina” campaign calls on the people to have disciplined lifestyles as the country continues to face huge challenges in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program targets the local government units (LGUs) to organize Disiplina Brigades in all barangays in the country to encourage adherence to health standards in the community.
The Barangay Disiplina Brigades, a “harmonization of the #Disiplina Muna campaign of the DILG and the “BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19” campaign of the DOH into a combined national advocacy program’’, shall be composed of community members, including barangay tanods.
The DILG chief also noted the “BIDA ang may Disiplina” campaign emphasizes the importance of individual self-discipline and behaviour change, “practiced by the citizens down at the grassroots level, as a means to beat COVID-19 in order to ensure the safety of families and of the nation’’.
“#Disiplina Muna is an initiative of the DILG launched last year which seeks to rebuild the culture of discipline among Filipinos as a means of fostering people’s participation while ‘BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19’ is DOH’s campaign encouraging the Filipino people to take an active role in the fight against COVID-19 by practicing B.I.D.A: B - Bawal walang mask; I - I-sanitize ang mga kamay, iwas-hawak sa mga bagay; D - Dumitansya ng isang metro; and, A - Alamin ang totoong impormasyon,’’ Año explained.
Ano also encourages provincial, city, municipal, and barangay sanggunians (councils) to enact their respective ordinances that prescribe discipline in following health safety standards to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“LGUs are likewise encouraged to incorporate the slogan "BIDA ang may Disiplina: Solusyon sa COVID-19. Ligtas ang Bayan, Ligtas ang Pamilya”; official hashtag #BIDASolusyon #DisiplinaMuna; and logo BIDA ang may #Disiplina logo featuring Rizal wearing a face mask, in their existing, ongoing, or planned advocacy on COVID-19 prevention using digital/ printed/ broadcast/ collateral materials,’’ the DILG statement noted.
“Public Information Officers (PIOs) of LGUs are also urged to participate in the online training programs to be led by the DILG and DOH to promote responsible journalism and accurate reporting to foster credible information amid the pandemic and discarding fake news,’’ it added.
In a memorandum, Año directed the LGUs to encourage citizens to exercise new normal minimum health safety standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This include frequent hand washing; cough etiquette; avoiding touching one’s face; observance of at least one-meter physical distancing in public; regular disinfecting of frequently touched objects and surfaces; isolating oneself from others if feeling unwell and seeking of care, if needed; avoiding confined and closed spaces with poor ventilation; avoiding crowded places; and, avoiding close-contact settings, especially where people have close-range conversations.