Work continues despite Covid-19 spike among personnel: PCOO

FILE: Light traffic along Edsa, near the MRT Kamuning Station in Quezon City, is observed on Tuesday (August 4, 2020). (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)

MANILA – The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) on Thursday said “essential” works will continue even as some of its attached agencies’ offices remain temporarily closed following a spike in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases among their personnel.

“The delivery of essential and timely information to the Filipino public will continue despite the unfortunate circumstance we are facing,” PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

Data released by the PCOO on Thursday showed that PCOO and its attached agencies have 72 “active” Covid-19 cases.

The National Printing Office has the highest number of active cases with 32, followed by PCOO Proper with 24, APO Production Unit with nine, PTV with five cases, while the Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) and the Philippine Information Agency have one active case each.

The PCOO and its attached agencies have recorded a total of 90 infections, including 15 recoveries and three deaths.

Andanar said the employees got infected “while performing their duties to the public”.

He said the PCOO continues to adopt a work-from-home arrangement to fulfill its obligations and mandate to the Filipino people.

He assured that his agency will conduct another batch of testing and contact tracing of the primary and secondary contacts of those newly infected among their staff.

“Our Covid-19 Response Team, composed of Covid-19 Warriors from every office within PCOO, continue to be on hand to coordinate all of the office’s efforts on contact tracing, testing, monitoring, and isolation/quarantine,” he said.

He also vowed to give assistance and support to the family of infected employees.

“We pray for the speedy recovery of our colleagues, as we endeavor with the whole Duterte administration and all our fellow Filipinos to heal and rise as one nation,” he said.

The New Executive Building in Malacañang, which houses PCOO, is currently on lockdown. RTVM and the NPO in Quezon City also remain closed.