DILG to take lead in contact tracing effort vs COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will now be the lead agency in the government’s contact-tracing effort to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said Saturday in a briefing.

“Kahapon po nadesisyunan po ng IATF na ang DILG na po, sa tulong ng ating mga LGU [local government units], ang mangunguna sa contact-tracing efforts. Ang DILG ay inatasan na pumasok sa isang data-sharing agreement kasama ang DOH alinsunod sa Data Privacy Act,” Nograles said, citing the recently-issued IATF Resolution No. 25, series of 2020.

(Yesterday, the IATF decided that the DILG, with the help of LGUs, should lead the contact-tracing efforts. The DILG is also ordered to go into a data-sharing agreement with the DOH in accordance with the Data Privacy Act.)

The said resolution amends IATF Resolution No. 22, which originally gave the responsibility of leading the contact tracing efforts to the Office of Civil Defense.

Under the new resolution, the IATF “adopts a national-government-enabled, LGU-led, and people-centered response to the COVID-19 health event.”

“In materializing the aforementioned general principles, all agencies are directed to recommend sector-specific plans, strategies, and targets to the IATF. The National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19 is likewise directed to develop the necessary operational plans. LGUs are enjoined to pursue regional cooperation in leading the fight against COVID-19,” IATF Resolution No, 25 read.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday has ordered LGUs to increase their trained contact tracing teams (CCTs) to further monitor suspected carriers of COVID-19. These teams will be led by the chiefs of police and city or municipal health officers.

/MUF