85% of LGUs nationwide compliant with DOH guidelines in handling PUIs, PUMs -Duterte's report

Eighty-five percent of all local government units in the country are compliant with the guidelines issued by the Department of Health (DOH) in handling persons suspected for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, President Rodrigo Duterte has reported.

According to Duterte's second weekly report to Congress as mandated by the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, a total of 1,465 LGUs in the country have complied with the directive on the handling of persons under investigation and monitoring for COVID-19 following DOH-issued guidelines as of April 2.

In making such report, the President cited Section 4(g) of the Bayanihan Law, which states that all LGUs should be acting "within the letter and spirit of all the rules, regulations and directives issued by the national government" to combat COVID-19.

"The National Government and the LGUs have synchronized intervention efforts to ensure cohesive action against COVID-19," the President's report read.

Apart from compliance to DOH guidelines, the President also reported that LGUs in Luzon are "largely" compliant with the guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases in identifying government facilities that may be temporarily used as isolation or quarantine facilities.

He added that 12,324 barangays have already designated Barangay Isolation Units or Barangay Special Care Facilities that will temporarily house PUIs in their respective areas.

Moreover, the President also reported that 83% or 1,419 LGUs have already used their respective Quick Response Fund to provide assistance to indigent families and minimum wage earners within their respective areas.

Several government agencies have also provided assistance to LGUs in responding to the COVID-19 situation, the President noted.

The Department of Agriculture, for one, has already distributed P2.5-million worth of agricultural products to the LGUs of Caloocan City, Las Piñas City, Makati City, Muntinlupa City, and Parañaque City to add to their relief goods operations.

It also gave out assorted vegetable seeds to be distributed to affected individual households in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, Vl, and Vll.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation has put up Malasakit Helpdesks in various transport hubs around the country to help passengers who are stranded in ports, airports and bus terminals by giving them snacks and beverages, the President reported.

The Department of Energy has also distributed e-trike units to LGUs to be used to transport food and frontliners in their areas, he added.

The President also said the National Bureau of Investigation has also started its investigation and filing of charges against local government officials who "willfully disregard, contravene or violate declared policies" under the Bayanihan Law and other policies and issuances related to the COVID-19 national emergency.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Tuesday said Duterte has accepted the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to extend the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine until April 30.

The ECQ, which was originally scheduled to end on April 13, was implemented to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in many areas of the country.

As of Monday, a total of 3,660 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Philippines, with 163 deaths and 73 recoveries. --KBK, GMA News