PRRD likely to certify as urgent Center for Disease Control bill

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on July 15, 2020. SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo R. Duterte will likely certify as urgent the proposed measure seeking the establishment of the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Most likely po (it will happen),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser when asked if Duterte would certify as urgent a bill creating the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the country.

Roque’s statement came amid the country’s continuing battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

He also made the remark after Health Secretary Francisco Duque III proposed the creation of the Philippine Centers for Disease Control, which will create systems for disease control and prevention.

Duque earlier backed the passage of House of Representatives Bill (HB) 6096 filed by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.

HB 6096 seeks the creation of the country’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which will serve as a separate agency under the control and supervision of the Department of Health but with broader policymaking, implementation, surveillance, disease control, and prevention powers.

Under the bill, the proposed center will serve as the principal agency tasked with developing and applying communicable disease control and prevention initiatives.

The proposed Center for Disease Control and Prevention will also be responsible for controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases.

It will also provide consultation and assistance to other nations and international agencies to assist in improving their disease prevention control.

Covid-19 has so far infected 58,850 individuals in the country.

About 20,976 Covid-19 patients have already recovered while 1,614 others have died of the highly contagious disease.