By Genalyn Kabiling President Duterte remains "on top of the situation” as the government moves to quell the spread of the new coronavirus in the country, Malacañang said Wednesday. After declaring a state of calamity due to the coronavirus threat, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President continues to listen to the concerns of various sectors and he would address these concerns. (OPS / FILE / MANILA BULLETIN) Panelo made the remarks after the Palace directed government agencies to adopt the additional guidelines for the community quarantine over Luzon to address the coronavirus threat. "The Office of the President remains on top of the situation as it hears all concerns being aired by various sectors of society, which are now being addressed," he said in a statement Wednesday. Panelo urged the public to follow the latest health protocols implemented by the government, including strict home quarantine for residents of Luzon, to combat the coronavirus outbreak. "We remind all individuals and juridical entities to comply honestly with the orders and corresponding regulations of the government for just by doing so, we are already greatly contributing to the containment and eventual elimination of the virus in the country," he said. Panelo said lives will be saved if the health precautions agains the coronavirus will be followed. "Always remember that when we observe the protocols on hygiene and social distancing, we will be saving not only ourselves but the members of our families, our friends, neighbors, and the rest of our countrymen from this dreadful COVID-19," he said. Government agencies tasked to adopt COVID-19 guidelines Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea has issued a memorandum directing government agencies to "adopt, coordinate, and implement" the amendments to the guidelines on the month-long community quarantine in Luzon. Medialdea approved the resolution containing recommendations made by the inter-agency task force for the management of emerging infectious disease on efforts to contain the spread of the virus. The additional guidelines include allowing Filipino workers, balikbayans, and foreigners to leave the Philippines at any time, exempting heads of missions and embassy staff from the strict quarantine if performing diplomatic functions, and allowing limited operations of hotels. Business process outsourcing (BPO) and export-oriented establishments are also allowed to transfer equipment to facilitate work-from-home arrangements until March 20. These firms are also urged to make arrangements with hotels for basic lodging. The memo, signed by Medialdea Wednesday, also stated that the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) shall not be allowed to operate. Prepare for worst-case scenario According to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, the task force has also urged the local disaster management councils to carry out preventive and recovery measures in anticipation of the “worst-case scenario” related to the virus threat. "The response clusters of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for COVID-19 at the national, regional, and local levels shall be convened,” Nograles said, reading the operational guidelines of the Luzon-wide quarantine. "All councils are directed to implement preventive, preparatory, responsive, and early recovery measures in anticipation of the worst-case scenario insofar as the COVID-19 health event is concerned. The Rehabilitation and Recovery Cluster of the NDRRMC is likewise directed to develop a resiliency and recovery plan,” he said.