IATF-EID approves Phase 2 of action plan vs. Covid-19: Palace

The IATF-EID’s approval for the implementation of the second phase of the National Action Plan was included in its Resolution 51 issued on Thursday, Roque said. (File Photo by CDC/Unsplash)

MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved the proposed second phase of the National Action Plan crafted by the National Task Force (NTF) to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“Naaprubahan po ang Phase 2 ng National Action Plan ng NTF,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who also serves as IATF-EID spokesperson, said during the Laging Handa program aired on state-run PTV-4 on Friday.

The IATF-EID’s approval for the implementation of the second phase of the National Action Plan was included in its Resolution 51 issued on Thursday, Roque said.

“Itong Phase 2 na ito, kaya po nating kontrolin ang pagkalat ng Covid kung susunod tayo sa mga health protocols, kung paiigtingin ang testing, kung ipagpapatuloy ang granular at local testing (With the implementation of the second phase, we can arrest the spread of Covid-19 if we follow health protocols, expand testing, and continue granular and local testing),” he said.

Phase 2 of the National Action Plan against Covid-19 contains eight key features.

Roque said the second phase of the action plan aims to promote change in the people’s mindset with a “strong” focus on health and disease prevention.

The new action plan also seeks to balance health and economic activities, he said.

“Kinakailangan na po talagang buksan ang ekonomiya dahil kinakailangan na nating magkaroon ng hanapbuhay (We need to reopen the economy because people need to go back to work),” Roque said.

The implementation of strict community quarantine in March forced many businesses to temporarily halt their operations.

However, more industries were allowed to resume partial operations after quarantine protocols were relaxed in May.

Roque said the second phase also intends to institutionalize the “prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate” strategy and the zoning containment strategy that would be supervised by the Cabinet Officers for Regional Development and Security.

He added that Phase 2 also includes strategies to sustain private and public partnerships; enhance risk communication and community engagements, particularly in the observance of health protocols; and highlight contingency, business continuity, and sustainability plans.

Capturing the management of returning overseas Filipinos, locally stranded individuals, and local travelers is also among the key features of the second phase of the new action plan, Roque said.

He said the new action plan would also concentrate efforts on expanded and targeted testing and contact tracing by gradually allowing travel, tourism, and non-disruption of work.

The task group on strategic communications is directed to ensure the effective communication of the new action plan to the public, according to IATF-EID Resolution 51.