DILG directs Cagayan to relax health rules to ease disaster response

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) directed the Cagayan provincial government to ease its strict COVID-19  health protocols and provide relief, search and rescue teams, and media outlets with immediate access to areas affected by Typhoon Ulysses.

According to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año's Saturday statement, the DILG received reports that relief and media organizations were being barred at the provincial border because of strict quarantine restrictions imposed by the provincial government.

“The situation in Cagayan requires unhampered disaster response and recovery operations by rescue and relief organizations. Therefore, all LGUs in Cagayan and Isabela should ease up access in their areas to facilitate disaster operations,” said Año.

LGU requirements related to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic should not hamper nor delay the entry, passage, or operations of all government and private sector humanitarian assistance and response personnel, he added.

Nevertheless, Regional IATF and all LGUs were also instructed to exercise sound discretion in lifting the restrictions.

All disaster response personnel and media workers were also directed to observe minimum health standards and use face masks and face shields while performing their humanitarian work. — DVM, GMA News