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Nat’l task force vs. COVID-19 tells LGUs to focus on ‘3 Ts’


The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 on Thursday urged local governments to focus on three T's to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease: testing, tracing, and treatment.

Spokesman Restituto Padilla said the NTF aims to localize the national government’s “detect, isolate, treat, reintegrate” approach to COVID-19.

He added that local government officials and the Metro Manila Development Authority have agreed to implement the strategy up to the barangay level.

“Ang pagsi-synchronize at pag-integrate ng mga efforts ng national at local governments ay makakatulong sa mas agarang pag-flatten ng curve,” Padilla said.

The NTF noted that widespread testing helped other countries such as South Korea, China, and Singapore contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Philippines began the widespread testing of suspected COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

“Bibigyan po natin ng prayoridad sa targeted mass testing ang mga suspected COVID-19 cases.... pangalawa ay ang lahat ng ating healthcare workers at frontliners, at pangatlo, ang mga miyembro ng vulnerable sectors,” Padilla said.

The spokesman also said they seek to strengthen contact tracing efforts by improving the accuracy of the database system through an app that will monitor Filipinos with COVID-19 symptoms. 

The NTF has also begun forming medical reaction teams that will be integrated into communities.

Meanwhile, NTF chief Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Bases Conversion and Development Authority head Vince Dizon, and local authorities of Tarlac inspected designated quarantine facilities in Clark, Pampanga as well as the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac on Thursday.

Galvez earlier reported that there are already more than 2,600 quarantine facilities across the country for COVID-19 patients. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News

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