The Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA). (DALE ISRAEL/INQUIRER VISAYAS)
MANILA, Philippines — The Cebu government has invited Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and other officials to visit the province on June 28 so the provincial government can present its COVID-19 protocols, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday.
“Ang ating DOH (Department of Health) Secretary at authorities ay inimbitahan ng Cebu government para bumisita at ipresenta nila ang kanilang mga ginagawang protocol, so pupunta sina Secretary Duque doon sa June 28 at titingnan nila ang protocol na ginagawa ng Cebu,” he told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
(The Cebu government has invited our Health Secretary and other authorities so it can present its COVID-19 protocols. Secretary Duque will go there on June 28 and they will look at the protocols being done in Cebu.)
“But for the meantime ay kailangan ipatupad natin ang utos ng Pangulo at dapat ay mag-adjust ang Cebu government dito sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) protocol kasi nagsalita na ang Pangulo. Dapat sumunod tayo dyan at isa lang ang protocol na dapat pinapatupad natin,” he added.
(But for the meantime, we should enforce the order of the President, and the Cebu government should adjust to the IATF protocol. We should follow this and we should implement a unified protocol.)
The upcoming visit of Duque and other officials comes as the IATF directed state agencies to ensure that testing and quarantine protocols for passengers arriving from abroad are followed in all ports of the country.
The IATF made this directive as Cebu has enforced its own swab-upon-arrival policy where it allows passengers from abroad who test negative after two to three days to proceed to their destination instead of completing a mandatory 10-day facility-based quarantine.
The IATF currently requires swab tests to be taken on the seventh day of the 10-day facility-based quarantine, which would be followed by a four-day home quarantine.
Año said the Cebu government should abide by the IATF rules.
“Nagsalita na ang ating Pangulo at dapat nating sundin ito, na sumunod ang Cebu sa IATF protocols. At itong Sabado nagkaroon ng meeting ang mga national agencies involved sa pagpapatupad ng protocol kasama ‘yung mga regional directors dito sa Region 7 at ito ay ipatutupad,” he added.
(The President has already spoken and the Cebu government should follow IATF protocols. Last Saturday, there was a meeting with national agencies involved in the enforcement of protocols as well as regional directors in Region 7 and they will enforce these guidelines.)
Año, however, praised the efforts of the Cebu government to contain the spread of COVID-19, saying the number of cases has decreased as compared to previous numbers in the province.