Officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) visited Cebu last June 23 to discuss with local leaders the status and efforts on implementation of measures against COVID-19 pandemic.
Secretaries Eduardo Año (DILG), Francisco Duque III (DOH), Delfin Lorenzana (DND, Roy Cimatu (DENR) and COVID-19 Policy Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. were welcomed by DILG-7 Dir. Leocadio Trovela, RIATF chairperson, and other members of the inter-agency task force in the region.
The visit came following the appointment of Secretary Cimatu as overseer of the government’s intensified response against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Cebu City.
The IATF and NTF officials held a half-day discussion with some local leaders and concerned government agencies to assess the situation in Cebu, identify the problem and make recommendations for an effective government response.
The following day, Cimatu and health sector representatives also met with the local chief executives, representatives of government agencies and private health firms to prep for the formulation of an action plan on COVID-19 response for Cebu.
He underscored the direction of the stakeholders with respect to the anti-COVID efforts as well as the plan for the creation of task forces for Cebu City and Cebu Province which will form part of the RIATF structure.
A week after, the IATF officials again visited the city to meet local leaders and follow up the response efforts of the local governments.
Secretary Ano urged the local chief executives of Cebu to sustain the gains so as to further improve the status of the province and the highly urbanized cities.
He asked the barangays and other LGUs to closely work with each other to harmonize data and improve contact tracing efforts.