CAR, Central Luzon, Batangas, Quezon ordered to boost health protocols — Palace

(FILE) Police camps in Central Luzon have started the daily disinfection to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Photo courtesy of Police Regional Office 3

MANILA, Philippines – The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Central Luzon, Batangas, and Quezon were ordered to enhance their respective health protocols and quarantine measures in line with measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus, according to the latest resolution of the government’s COVID-19 task force released Saturday.

As per Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution No. 106, the entire Region 3, CAR, Batangas, and Quezon were directed to implement enhanced PDITR (prevention, detection, isolation, treatment, and reintegration) measures.

The implementation of the enhanced PDITR is to “limit mobility and minimize delays in case detection, contact tracing, and isolation/quarantine,” the IATF said in its resolution.

Aside from this, the IATF said the following measures may be implemented after due assessment of the local government unit, along with the concurrence of their respective Regional IATF:

• Scope of lockdown may be extended to the whole municipality and city
• Limit inter-zonal mobility, especially into and out of high-transmission areas;
• Limit non-essential travels within the lockdowns;
• Regional IATF/Task Forces should actively monitor, identify, and address gaps in PDITR implementation;
• Regional DOLE and DTI to inspect workplaces and establishments and provide IATF with their findings and action plans; and
• Fast track vaccination of priority groups.

Earlier, Metro Manila and four adjacent provinces—Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal—were placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) beginning March 29 until April 4 following a surge in COVID-19 cases.

As of March 27, the Philippines recorded 9,595 additional cases, driving the active infections to 118,112.

/MUF