Go to recommend declaration of state of emergency in PH due to COVID-19
Published Mar 7, 2020 12:00 am
By Armando Fenequito Jr.
ISLAND GARDEN CITY OF SAMAL, Davao del Norte – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go will recommend to President Duterte the declaration of a state of public health emergency following the confirmation of the Department of Health (DOH) of the first case of local transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.
enator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (FACEBOOK /MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Go bared this in an interview on Saturday after the 22nd Founding Anniversary Celebration of the IGACOS.
He said the recommendation was part of his job as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and in line with the recommendation of DOH.
“Sa pagkakaalam ko meron nang confirmed local transmission. Yung kahapon, it was a local case. Ngayon po yung asawa naman ang naapektuhan, so mayroon na tayong local transmission (As fsr as I know, there are already local trnasmission. Yesterday was a local case. Now the partner also was affected so we already have a local transmission) ,” he said.
Go sais the President may opt to declare a state of public emergency so that the country will be one step ahead in dealing with the crisis.
"Wag nating hintayin na mas kumalat pa po ito.(We will not wait for the time to spread this.) We will tap all national and local government agencies ,” Go said.
The senator said the declaration facilitates immediate access to funding to respond to the issue, particularly for the local government units (LGU).
“Under Republic Act (RA) 10121, such declaration allows the LGUs to utilize their local disaster risk reduction management funds,” he said.
“The declaration eases processes on procurement, mandatory reporting, mandatory quarantine and travel restrictions, among others,” Go added.
He said if the President pushes through with the declaration, it will also serve as basis for possible price freeze under RA 7581 or the Price Act, according to the Senator.
Go also urged all citizens, residents, tourists and establishment owners to act within the bounds of the law and to comply with the lawful directives and advisories to be issued to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
The Senator added that he will also recommend to the President the creation of a crisis committee through the expansion of the membership of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to include other instrumentalities of the government, including LGUs, to fight the possible disease spread more effectively.
“We need a whole-of-society and proactive approach in preventing further spread of the virus,” Go said citing that this is consistent with DOH’s pronouncement raising the alert level to ‘Red-SubLevel 1’ given the confirmation of the first case of local transmission.
Go also said that based on his discussions, President Duterte will hold a meeting with health officials and other concerned agencies, including members of the Inter-Agency Task Force as soon as possible.
“All government agencies and LGUs are enjoined to render full assistance and cooperation and mobilize necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate COVID-19 threat,” he added.
Go urged the public to remain calm, not to panic, and cooperate with the government by assuring them that the Duterte Administration aims to always be one step ahead and is prepared in preventing the further spread of the disease.
READ MORE: DOH asks Palace to declare state of public health emergency
enator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (FACEBOOK /MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Go bared this in an interview on Saturday after the 22nd Founding Anniversary Celebration of the IGACOS.
He said the recommendation was part of his job as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and in line with the recommendation of DOH.
“Sa pagkakaalam ko meron nang confirmed local transmission. Yung kahapon, it was a local case. Ngayon po yung asawa naman ang naapektuhan, so mayroon na tayong local transmission (As fsr as I know, there are already local trnasmission. Yesterday was a local case. Now the partner also was affected so we already have a local transmission) ,” he said.
Go sais the President may opt to declare a state of public emergency so that the country will be one step ahead in dealing with the crisis.
"Wag nating hintayin na mas kumalat pa po ito.(We will not wait for the time to spread this.) We will tap all national and local government agencies ,” Go said.
The senator said the declaration facilitates immediate access to funding to respond to the issue, particularly for the local government units (LGU).
“Under Republic Act (RA) 10121, such declaration allows the LGUs to utilize their local disaster risk reduction management funds,” he said.
“The declaration eases processes on procurement, mandatory reporting, mandatory quarantine and travel restrictions, among others,” Go added.
He said if the President pushes through with the declaration, it will also serve as basis for possible price freeze under RA 7581 or the Price Act, according to the Senator.
Go also urged all citizens, residents, tourists and establishment owners to act within the bounds of the law and to comply with the lawful directives and advisories to be issued to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
The Senator added that he will also recommend to the President the creation of a crisis committee through the expansion of the membership of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to include other instrumentalities of the government, including LGUs, to fight the possible disease spread more effectively.
“We need a whole-of-society and proactive approach in preventing further spread of the virus,” Go said citing that this is consistent with DOH’s pronouncement raising the alert level to ‘Red-SubLevel 1’ given the confirmation of the first case of local transmission.
Go also said that based on his discussions, President Duterte will hold a meeting with health officials and other concerned agencies, including members of the Inter-Agency Task Force as soon as possible.
“All government agencies and LGUs are enjoined to render full assistance and cooperation and mobilize necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate COVID-19 threat,” he added.
Go urged the public to remain calm, not to panic, and cooperate with the government by assuring them that the Duterte Administration aims to always be one step ahead and is prepared in preventing the further spread of the disease.
READ MORE: DOH asks Palace to declare state of public health emergency