Duterte may hold another meeting with IATF in Davao City

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte holds a meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City on June 4, 2020. JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte may hold his next meeting with select members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in Davao City anew, Malacañang said on Monday.

“There’s a possibility,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser when asked if Duterte would remain in his hometown and hold meetings from there.

Roque, however, assured that Duterte would continue working and monitoring the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation in the country regardless of where he chooses to stay.

“Whether be it in Manila or Davao, he continues to discharge his function including meeting with the select members of the IATF as usual,” he said.

Roque said his last talk with Duterte was during the recent meeting with select IATF members on Thursday (June 4) night.

Last week, Roque said Duterte would be staying in his hometown for the next few days to hold “official functions”.

He clarified that the President did not fly to Davao City just to have a reunion with family whom he only saw for three days when he first went there last week, but also to “assess” the situation in Mindanao.

Before the pandemic, Duterte would usually spend his weekend with his family in Davao City.

He stayed in Manila for the entire duration of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the most stringent community quarantine, to lead the nation’s fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the IATF-EID’s omnibus guidelines, uniformed personnel, government officials and employees on official business with travel authority, and humanitarian assistance staff transporting medical supplies and laboratory specimen are allowed to travel by land, air or sea.

During the upcoming IATF-EID meeting, members are expected to discuss the possible transition of areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) to modified community quarantine (MGCQ) and areas under MGCQ to the new normal.

Roque said the decision to ease quarantine protocols will depend on the rate of Covid-19 infection and health system’s capacity to provide critical care of patients.

Pangasinan, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Central Visayas, Zamboanga City, Davao City, Albay, Cebu City and Mandaue City are under GCQ from June 1 to 15.

Modified GCQ (MGCQ) was implemented in the rest of the country until June 15.