MANILA – Strengthening testing and isolation facilities in the provinces are among the priorities of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday night.
He said the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the province of Bukidnon have decreased.
“Noon pong two weeks ago ay pinadala ko si (Defense) Undersecretary Cesar Yano sa Bukidnon dahil humihingi ng tulong si Governor (Jose Maria) Zubiri Jr. dahil tumataas ‘yung kaso nila doon (Around two weeks ago, I sent Defense Undersecretary Yano to Bukidnon to check in on the situation as Governor Zubiri sought assistance as their Covid-19 cases were rising),” said Lorenzana, also the chairperson of the task force, in a televised Cabinet meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Lorenzana also said he and National Policy Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., will visit Tawi-Tawi to check on the testing and isolation facilities there.
On their way home, they will also look into the situation in Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte and Surigao City in Surigao del Norte.
“Sa November 10 ay pupunta kami ni Secretary Galvez sa Tawi-Tawi para naman mabisita namin ‘yung mga pasilidad nila doon at pagbalik dadaanan namin ‘yung Dipolog at saka Surigao City dahil kinausap din ako ng mga gobernador na kung puwede ay tulungan sila dahil wala silang mga facilities (This coming November 10, I and Secretary Galvez will be visiting Tawi-Tawi to check on their facilities and on our way home, we land on Dipolog and Surigao City as governors there are asking our help in setting up of (testing and isolation) facilities),” he added.
Lorenzana was also pleased to note that Covid-19 cases in the cities of Cebu, Bacolod, and Iloilo which were quite high last month are now “stable”.