The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is prepared to handle all pandemic-related response as it is recommended by the Department of Health (DOH) to replace the task forces assigned for such responsibilities.
“Handang handa na, kasi ang NTF noon ay NDRRMC rin naman. Pare-pareho lang ang bumubuong ahensya at ang chairperson ng NTF ay chairperson din ng NDRRMC (We are really prepared because the former NTF is also composed of NDRRMC. The agencies that comprised it were the same and the chairperson of the NTF is the chairperson of the NDRRMC),” NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said in a radio interview on DZMM Wednesday, July 20.
According to Jalad, the DOH will recommend to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to replace the task forces leading the pandemic response with the disaster response agency.
Prior to this, Malacanang had announced that the DOH was reconfiguring the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-MEID).
The Duterte administration created the IATF and the NTF Against Covid-19 when the pandemic hit the country in 2020.
The IATF, led by the DOH Secretary, acted as the policy-making body for all Covid-related rules and regulations. Meanwhile, the NTF, headed by the NDRRMC Chairperson, served as the implementing unit of all Covid-related policies.
Under the new set up, the pandemic task forces shall be replaced by the NDRRMC led by the NDRRMC Chairperson and Department of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr.
The NDRRMC is no longer new to this responsibility since it was also involved in Covid-related response efforts. The Council spearheaded the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccines, and medical personnel locally and internationally to address the surges.
It also brought home stranded overseas Filipinos when lockdowns were implemented in abroad.
Jalad allayed public concerns that the pandemic response under the NDRRMC's guidance will focus on militarist solutions instead of a medical approach.
He clarified that the DOH, one of the member-agencies within the Council, will still lead the efforts.
“Whether NTF man ‘yan or NDRRMC, kumbaga ‘yung pangalan ay pinalitan lang. DOH pa rin ang mangunguna sa loob ng grupo ng ahensya na iyan dahil ito ay problema na related sa health (Whether it is NTF or NDRRMC, it only changed its name. It’s still the DOH that will lead the group internally because it is a health-related problem),” he noted.
He also assured the public that the NDRRMC will be prepared to juggle the work of leading the pandemic and disaster responses in case of a major calamity. (Martin A. Sadongdong)