Government to recommend alert level system to Marcos admin –DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) will recommend maintaining the alert level system to the Marcos administration as the country continues its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Saturday.

"If we are talking about removing the alert level system, mukhang hanggang sa susunod na administrasyon irerekomenda ng Department of Health itong ating alert level system. Dahil ito po ang nagbibigay sa atin ng safeguard at nagbibigay sa atin ng guide para alam natin kung ano ang magiging aksyon natin base sa risk level ng areas sa ating bansa," Vergeire said at the Laging Handa briefing.

(The Department of Health will be recommending the alert level system to the next administration. This is what gives us safeguards and guides so we could determine our next course of action based on the risk level of some areas in our country.)

Vergeire added that the government was experiencing challenges in placing all areas under Alert Level 1 before President Rodrigo Duterte's term ends in June due to the low vaccination turnout in some regions.

"Sa ngayon medyo nahihirapan tayo because of the vaccination coverage of these areas kaya hindi sila mag-de escalate to Alert Level 1."

(Currently, we are struggling because of the vaccination coverage in these areas. That's why they could not be deescalated to Alert Level 1.)

The following areas will remain under Alert Level 2 from June 1 to 15 amid the COVID-19 pandemic:

Luzon

•    Benguet
•    lfugao
•    Quezon Province
•    Occidental Mindoro
•    Palawan
•    Camarines Norte
•    Camarines Sur
•    Masbate
•    Sorsogon

Visayas

•    Antique
•    Negros Occidental
•    Bohol
•    Cebu
•    Negros Oriental
•    Leyte
•    Northern Samar
•    Western Samar

Mindanao

•    City of Isabela
•    Zamboanga del Sur
•    Zamboanga del Norte
•    Zamboanga Sibugay
•    Lanao del Norte
•    Davao del Norte
•    Davao del Sur
•    Davao de Oro
•    Davao Occidental
•    General Santos City
•    North Cotabato
•    Sarangani
•    Sultan Kudarat
•    South Cotabato
•    Agusan del Norte
•    Agusan del Sur
•    Dinagat Islands
•    Surigao del Norte
•    Basilan
•    Cotabato City
•    Lanao del Sur
•    Maguindanao
•    Sulu
•    Tawi-Tawi

Vergeire said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III would be recommending that the incoming government continue the current administration's efforts in addressing the health status of the country, including improving the campaign for the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

She said Duque would also be recommending to the incoming health secretary to strengthen the health system's capacity, including hospitals and rural health units to combat COVID-19.

Vergeire said the DOH had formed its transition committee, as well as held several meetings with the incoming administration to endorse health priorities in the country.

"We are preparing the transition so that there will be no gaps in our service when the new administration arrives," she said. — DVM, GMA News