Sotto seeks creation of information agency to update public on nCoV

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Sunday called for the creation of an information agency tasked to provide the timely information on the status of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and government’s actions to address it.

Sotto said that the creation of such inter-agency body would provide information not only on health concerns but also on travel restrictions, market conditions, economic impacts, tourism-related announcements, and local government advisories, among others.

Representatives from various government agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Tourism, Department of Finance, and Department of Trade and Industry shall compose the information agency.

“Mabuting magkaroon ng isang information agency kung saan lahat ng datos na kailangan ng mamamayan ay madali nilang ma-a-access,” Sotto said in a statement, adding that a daily media briefing can be held to update the public for updates on the disease as well as its effects in various sectors.

(It would be good for us to have one information agency where all the information that our countrymen need are easily accessible.)

“Abala ang ating mga health officials sa pag-control ng pagkalat ng nCoV. Mas makakabuti kung hahayaan natin silang mag-concentrate sa medical concerns ng mga pasyente,” he added.

(Our health officials are already busy containing nCoV. It would be better if we just let them concentrate on the medical concerns of the patients.)

Local government units shall also have representatives in the inter-agency.

Sotto said the creation of the inter-agency body can also address the prevalence of fake news which only cause panic among the public amid the threat of the disease.

Sotto said the body can later be made permanent and serve as the official government instrument for disasters and other calamities.

“During this time when our country needs to deal with a global threat, we do not need false reports that tend to scare families. What we need now is an official body which will be the sole source of all official information on the nCoV,” Sotto said.

The health department on Sunday confirmed the second case of nCoV in the country—a 44-year-old Chinese man who was a companion of the 38-year-old woman who was the first confirmed case of the disease in the country.

The Chinese man, however, died on Saturday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it is the first reported nCoV-related death outside China.