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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Tolentino bats for law authorizing DOH to declare community lockdowns

Tolentino bats for law authorizing DOH to declare community lockdowns

Published Mar 11, 2020 12:00 am
By Vanne Terrazola Amid fears over l coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, Senator Francis Tolentino is pushing to authorize the Department of Health (DOH) and its attached agency, the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), to declare community lockdowns and suspension of classes during public health emergencies. Sen. Francis Tolentino is the first to walk the red carpet on the North Wing entrance of Batasan. #SONA2019 (Photo by Rokey Desingano) Sen. Francis Tolentino (Rokey Desingano / MANILA BULLETIN) Tolentino on Wednesday filed Senate Bill No. 1408, which seeks to amend the Quarantine Act of 2004 (Republic Act No. 9271) to further strengthen the jurisdiction of the DOH and the BOQ in preventing the spread of infectious diseases from foreign countries. Under his proposed Health Emergency Lockdown Act, Tolentino said the BOQ shall also have the power to impose a lockdown of infected areas and class suspensions to contain the disease. The bill also proposes to expand the bureau's authority over local government units, schools, and hospitals during health emergencies. “This is so we can contain the spread of infectious diseases wherever these may have occurred and not just limited to those who travelled. Sa panahon ngayon, kailangan natin palakasin ang kakayahan ng DOH para agad nilang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng sakit at matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga taong may sakit, kung saan man sila naroroon (In these times, we need to strengthen the DOH's functions so it could immediately prevent the outbreak of diseases and respond to the needs of those who are sick, wherever they are),” Tolentino said. In an interview at the Senate on Wednesday, the administration lawmaker maintained his reservations against the suggestion to place Metro Manila under a lockdown due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 in the country. “I am not recommending that, which I believe will be detrimental to the economy of the Philippines. I don't agree kung ganoon ka-widespread na ang contamination (that the contamination is widespread),” he told reporters. He said that in his bill, the DOH could recommend a lockdown only of certain areas with evident community transmission of a disease. The DOH and the BOQ will coordinate with the Department of Interior and Local Government in promulgating and enforcing rules necessary for the lockdown, and other measures for the prevention of diseases. The DOH could also designate private hospitals as quarantine centers for persons under investigation of having contracted infectious diseases in times of public health emergencies, Tolentino added. President Duterte recently declared a State of Public Health Emergency in the country due to the spike in the number of positive COVID-19 cases, which are mostly Metro Manila. As of Tuesday, there were 33 cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines. The bill would have to undergo committee deliberations before being approved in Senate plenary. Congress is set to go on a legislative break starting March 11.
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