DOH activates National Public Health Emergency Operations Center

The Department of Health (DOH) has activated its National Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) to ensure a single line of coordination during health-related emergencies.

In a statement on Saturday, the DOH said the PHEOC is aligned with the Incident Command System and Emergency Operations Center of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

"Sa ilalim nito, ang DOH Central Office ang magsisilbing pangunahing Emergency Operations Center para tiyaking iisa ang linya ng koordinasyon sa oras ng health-related emergencies alinsunod sa mandato ng NDRRMC," the DOH said in a statement.

(Under this setup, the DOH Central Office will serve as the main Emergency Operations Center to ensure a single line of coordination during health-related emergencies in accordance with the mandate of the NDRRMC.)

The move seeks to strengthen the government's response mechanism to calamities, from the national level up to the various local government units.

Composed of five sections, the DOH National PHEOC will be led by Health Secretary Ted Herbosa as the responsible officer, and Assistant Secretary Gloria Balboa as the incident manager for overall operations.

The roles of the five sections under the National PHEOC include:

• Disseminate information to the public
• Ensure the welfare of PHEOC staff
• Coordinate with national government agencies, regions, hospitals, local governments and international states
• Determine adequate logistics and necessary budgets

"Sinisiguro naman ng DOH na mas paiigtingin nito ang response sa mga health-related emergencies tulad ng bagyo, lalo pa ngayong activated na ang National PHEOC," the statement read.

(The DOH assures that it will intensify its response to health-related emergencies such as typhoons, especially now that the National PHEOC has been activated.)

The Health Department issued the PHEOC announcement hours after Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-Wong) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

Typhoon Uwan rapidly intensified over the last 24 hours as it marches across the Philippine Sea east of Eastern Visayas, prompting weather bureau PAGASA to declare Saturday eight areas in Luzon and Visayas under Tropical Weather Cyclone Signal (TWCS) No. 2.

State weather bureau PAGASA may raise Signal No. 5 on Sunday night ahead of the projected landfall of Uwan in Aurora or Isabela, possibly as a super typhoon with massive diameter.

PAGASA has also said Uwan may still move southward and make landfall in Catanduanes. — VDV, GMA Integrated News