PRRD avoiding places with high Covid-19 cases

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is avoiding areas that have high cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to keep him coronavirus-free, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is “confident” to pursue public engagements amid the pandemic because the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and the Presidential Management Staff (MPS) are making sure that strict health protocols are being followed.

“Ang epicenter po talaga ay Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, at Metro Davao. At hindi naman po siya nagpupunta doon sa mga area na ‘yun (The epicenter [of Covid-19] is Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao. He is not going there),” Roque, who is now in isolation after catching Covid-19, said in a virtual presser.

Roque’s statement came a day after the Philippines logged around 5,404 new Covid-19 infections, the biggest-single day increase in cases recorded in the country this year.

Duterte stayed at Malacañan Palace in Manila when he placed the entire Luzon under the most restrictive enhanced community quarantine in March last year. He only returned to his residence in Davao City on May 16 last year after quarantine restrictions were eased.

The first time he made a public engagement was on July 3, 2020, when he visited the soldiers at the Edwin Andrews Air Base in Zamboanga City.

Duterte, unfazed by the threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, has since then attended several public events.

This month, Duterte attended six public events, including the ceremonial turnover of Covid-19 vaccine doses developed by AstraZeneca and Sinovac.

Covid-19 test required

On Thursday, Duterte is set to attend an event in Eastern Samar and another one in Tacloban City.

Roque said there has been no change in Duterte’s scheduled activities.

He, nevertheless, ensured that attendees are required to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests so as not to compromise Duterte’s health.

“Meron na pong distinction ngayon ‘yung mga lalapit at hindi lalapit. At meron na po talagang separate listahan kung sinong dapat mag-PCR, yung talagang magkakaroon lang ng access kay Presidente ang mag-PCR (There has been a distinction as to who can or who cannot go near [Duterte]. And there is a separate list of people who have access to the President and are required to undergo RT-PCR test),” Roque said.

Roque said the PSG and the PMS are also requiring the use of face mask and face shield, as well as the strict observance of physical distancing during Duterte’s public events.

“Talagang mahirap pong lumapit kay Presidente. So gumagawa naman po ng hakbang para talaga maprotektahan ang kalusugan ng Presidente. At the same time, si Presidente po ang may kagustuhan talagang lumibot nang makita ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan (It’s really difficult to go near the President. So we are looking for ways to protect the President’s health. At the same time, it is the President who wants to go around the country to monitor the situation of our countrymen),” he said.

Virtual meet

As a safety measure against Covid-19, Duterte is also holding “virtual” meetings with Cabinet members who have acquired or are exposed to the coronavirus, Roque said.

Roque then noted that he, along with Covid-19 vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, attended an online meeting with President on Monday.

“Well, nangyari po kahapon ‘yun. Ang kasama lang niya, si Secretary Duque, at tatlo po kaming online — si Secretary Galvez, Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at ako po — were online (That happened yesterday. He was just with Secretary Duque and the three of us — Secretary Galvez, Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and I — were online). Secretary Galvez because he’s on quarantine having arrived from abroad Secretary Lorenzana because he also had an exposure,” he said.