Gov’t agencies told to draft plans, strategies vs. Covid-19

“In materializing the aforementioned general principles, all agencies are directed to recommend sector-specific plans, strategies, and targets to the IATF,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a virtual press briefing aired on state-run PTV-4 on Saturday. (File photo screengrab from PCOO via pnagovph/Twitter)

MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has ordered all state departments to come up with plans and strategies that will boost the government’s fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The IATF-EID issued the latest directive after it adopted on Friday a “national-government-enabled, local government unit (LGU)-led, and people-centered” response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In materializing the aforementioned general principles, all agencies are directed to recommend sector-specific plans, strategies, and targets to the IATF,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a virtual press briefing aired on state-run PTV-4 on Saturday.

Nograles said the National Task Force (NTF) Covid-19 is likewise directed to develop the necessary operational plans.

He added that Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., the chief implementer of NTF Covid-19, is authorized to establish, reorganize, and abolish NTF sub-task groups “as may be necessary to carry out the government’s response to the Covid-19 health event.

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“LGUs are enjoined to pursue regional cooperation in leading the fight against Covid-19,” Nograles said.

The national government imposed several measures to halt the spread of Covid-19, which include the imposition of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon that will last until April 30.

Earlier, President Duterte created a small group that is directed to formulate an economic recovery plan after the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

The small group is composed of Duterte’s economic managers.

However, Duterte’s chief economist, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, announced on Friday his decision to step down from the post due to “personal reasons” and “differences in development philosophy” with a few of his fellow Cabinet members.

On the same day Pernia resigned, the Palace announced that Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendric Chua has been appointed as the acting secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

In a press statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace thanks Pernia for the resigned government official’s “valuable contribution to the Philippine economy.”

“Secretary Pernia formed part of the President’s economic team which steered the country’s strongest economic growth since the mid-1970s,” Roque said.

Roque said the executive branch expects Chua, who is set to assume office next week, to continue the economic momentum set by Pernia.

He said the Palace was confident that Chua would give insightful suggestions to counter the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

“[We expect Chua to] work in close coordination with the other members of PRRD’s (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s) economic managers, to prepare the Philippines for a new normal and mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Roque said