ANC | PH Union of Local Authorities seeks more aid for local gov't units amid Covid-19 pandemic
ULAP President and LPP Chairman Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua of Quirino Province supports the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine to April 30 but he says that local government units will need additional aid and funding resources for this extension to ensure the full implementation of RA 11469.
He also emphasizes the critical role of each LGUs from barangay to the provinces as well as appreciates and commends the national government's swift action to combat the CoVID19 pandemic.
As for the Social Amelioration Program, Gov. Cua raises some concerns on its implementation which creates confusion at the local level, particularly the discrepancy on the number of targeted beneficiaries identified by DSWD vs the actual number of beneficiaries that are supposed to receive who are also qualified that belongs to vulnerable and low income families pursuant to RA 11469.
For more details of the interview, please watch the video.
LGUs allowed to buy own COVID-19 test kits
LOCAL government units (LGUs) have the authority to buy their own test kits for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III.
“Pwede naman sila. Basta bilhin lang nila ‘yung approved ng FDA para meron naman silang kasiguraduhan (They can do that. As long as they buy those that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration so they are assured) as to quality and safety of those tests,” Mr. Duque said in an interview over radio DZBB on Monday.
Chairman of the Union of the Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr., in a separate interview over the same radio station, asked the national government to allow LGUs to procure their own kits to fast-track the testing of persons under investigation (PUIs) and those under monitoring (PUM).
He said current rules prohibit local governments from using public funds for the test kits.
“Kaya po ni-ri-request namin, itong public funds po na sa ngayon ay hindi pa po ina-allow ay payagan na pong ipambili nitong (That is why we are making the request, as of now it is not allowed to use public funds to buy) rapid screening test,” Mr. Velasco said.
He said it is important in managing the situation to immediately determine which ones among the PUIs and PUM are actually positive of COVID-19.
Mr. Duque, however, cautioned that LGUs should follow biosafety standards and to designate proper biosafety infrastructures and manpower to facilitate the testing.
ILOILO CITY
Iloilo City has already purchased 2,500 test kits from South Korea using a P5.5 million fund donated by local businesses.
“Here in Iloilo City, the private sector came up with the funds for us to be able to buy test kits from Korea.
Masks are also given by the private sector. Now we see a lot of private sector, working together to produce improvised personal protective equipment for medical frontliners,” Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said during an international teleconference last week.
The mayor served as one of the reactors and the representative of LGUs in the first session of a webinar entitled “Expert Dialogue on Resilience, Public Health, and Human Security” organized by the National Resilience Council in partnership with ARISE Philippines, Zuellig Family Foundation, and the Makati Business Club.
The Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City has been accredited by the Department of Health (DoH) as a testing laboratory for COVID-19.
Mr. Treñas lamented the national government’s lack of clear guidance and direction for LGUs on the COVID-19 response.
“We feel that we are isolated, no clear directions have been given to us on what should be done and what should be undertaken… There is a need for communication, for those in charge to continuously communicate the issues affecting the LGUs,” he said.
RED CROSS
Meanwhile, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is determined to have its testing center in Metro Manila operational by Wednesday, its chairman said on Monday.
“In so far as the other test centers are concerned, I’m forcing the issue, Wednesday dapat bukas na tayo (we should be open),” Senator Richard J. Gordon, chairman of PRC, said during the Laging Handa virtual press briefing.
The PRC laboratory was at stage 3 of 5 in the accreditation process as of April 6, based on the DoH report on COVID-19 laboratory capacities.
Stage 3 involves the three-day training of laboratory personnel. Under stage 4, the laboratory’s positive results are still subject to confirmatory testing by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. Stage 5 is full operations.
The PRC center has two machines capable of testing a combined 2,000 samples per day.
Mr. Gordon said the organization is also looking at establishing more testing centers in Luzon, Central Visayas and Mindanao.
ULAP President recommends policies for IATF’s consideration
CABARROGUIS, Quirino, April 5 (PIA)—Governor Dakila Carlo E. Cua, president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) yesterday wrote to President Rodrigo Duterte to recommend some policies for the consideration of the Inter-Agency Task Force.
“Our country cannot afford economic downturn and social disintegration which economic experts considered as consequences of prolonged enhance community quarantine,” Cua said.
Cua who also chairs the National League of the Province of the Philippines recommended that local government units with the help of National Government Agencies and Department of Health be allowed to assess and determine the true state or condition within their localities.
“Self-Assessment should open the possibility of either retaining or easing mobility restrictions and serve as a basis for the extent of social amelioration measure vis-a-vis a declaration of enhanced or general community quarantine, Cua said.
Also, NGAs concerned should prepare appropriate protocols that lift restrictions on certain activities and business operations given the possibility of improved situation in some parts of Luzon in the coming days.
Cua also said the DOH should establish the guidelines at the workplace or public spaces, e.g., surface disinfection and personal hygiene, physical distancing and area ventilation; the Department of Transportation should issue authority for protected shuttling of workers or limited operation of sanitized public transport.
On the other hand, the NEDA, DTI, DOF, and DA should prioritize industries for the immediate resumption and the Department of Public Works and Highways, National Irrigation Administration and other concerned national agencies should find a workable solution and identify vital and critical infrastructure projects that should proceed.
Furthermore, Cua pushed for Design Distance Learning Systems taking into consideration the technological advancement available today. He encouraged the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technology Education and Skills Development Authority, and Private Learning Institution to design and adopt education systems and curricula that will enable Filipino students to avail of distance learning alternatives when possible.
“The Department of Information and Communications Technology must expedite the rollout of the National Broadband Plan in order to provide connectivity to the farthest reaches of the nation,” Cua said.
Likewise, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) may revisit spectrum management policies to enable micro-telco entities, as well as, large telcos to serve the underserved and remote communities. The NTC may, likewise, exercise regulatory functions to ensure affordability and reliability of internet Service Providers,” Cua further said.
Cua lauded PRRD’s administration for its seamless work with the full support of government officials, both at the national and subnational levels, alongside members of the civil society, academe, and business sector, seamlessly work and cooperate together to overcome the COVID-19 contagion in order to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the health crisis.
“On the behalf of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, I express utmost appreciation and gratitude to all our unsung heroes,” Cua said.
Cua also aired the clamor from the grassroots, all the way to the municipal, city and province-wide level, for a gradual shift to a normal way of life knowing that the government is keen on striking a balance between safeguarding the health, security, and welfare of the people and ensuring the protection of the economy and other strategic sectors.
“As the representative of the local executives and official, I share the apprehension and sentiments of the different sectors that comprise our LGUs. In addressing this health crisis, there is no argument that the well-being of our constituents is foremost but with equal importance is the nation’s socio-economic stability,” Cua further said.
Cua had sought PRRD’s favorable consideration as he assured full support from ULAP and the local government leagues to end the health crisis.
ULAP chief cites advantage of cash aid for affected workers
MANILA – A local executive has lauded the national government’s decision to extend a PHP5,000 to PHP8,000 cash aid to almost 80 percent of people affected by the enhanced community quarantine, saying this lessens logistics issues in distributing the support.DILG directs Metro Manila LGUs to activate local COVID-19 task force; all barangays nationwide to activate BHERTs
Following the DOH declaration of Code Red sublevel 1, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) immediately directs local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) to activate their Local COVID-19 Task Forces (LCTF) to aid in monitoring and preventing the spread of the disease in the communities.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año says that the Local COVID-19 Task Force of NCR must work double-time to ensure that further spread of the virus will be halted.
"Local transmissions pose greater chances for the virus to spread and that's the last thing we want to happen. Kaya naman inaatasan ko ang mga LGU ng NCR to activate their LCTF o Local COVID-19 Task Force to prevent the situation from escalating," Año says.
The LCTF shall direct the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Local City Health Office, upon receiving the referrals from the DOH-Emergency Operations Center, to coordinate directly with, and convey or transport, the symptomatic persons to the nearest DOH referral facility for COVID-19 testing.
Año explains that at the DOH referral facility, the symptomatic persons will immediately undergo triage which will determine if the person is a severe case or a mild case.
If found to be mild cases, the ambulance will be directed to bring the patient confirmed as Persons under Investigation (PUIs) to the nearest DOH-designated hospital for treatment and isolation or will be admitted, if found to be severe cases.
He says that the LCTF shall always be on top of all related situations and concerns, and coordinate closely with the DOH-Center for Health Development.
The DILG has also directed all DILG City Directors to coordinate closely with their local chief executives (LCEs). Meanwhile, LCEs are ordered to work closely with the DOH regional office.
"It is only through cooperation and vigilance can we guarantee that this virus will not be a greater threat in our country kaya inaasahan ang patuloy na pakikipagtulungan ng lahat ng LGU sa iba pang sangay ng pamahalaan lalo na sa DOH," he says.
BHERTs in the community
Meanwhile, Año says that 60.51% or 25,411 barangays have already organized their Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) which can aid in controling further community transmissions of COVID-19 in the barangays.
The DILG Chief says that now that there is a verified local transmission case in the country, establishment of BHERTs in barangays can help the government in monitoring and containing the virus.
"Sixty point fifty-one percent or 25,411 of the total number of barangays nationwide is already a huge number but we are talking about a virus that has wreaked panic worldwide kaya naman hindi kami magsasawa sa pagpapaalala sa mga barangay to immediately activate their BHERTs," Año says.
He also urges the remaining barangays to follow suit and establish their own BHERTs "as the DILG targets to have the said emergency response team in every barangay."
Based on the latest data of the DILG-National Barangay Operations Office, Bicol Region registered 100% compliance rate translating to a total of 3,471 barangays with organized BHERTs while Region III trails closely with 99.42% corresponding to 3,084 barangays. Region XII and XIII also registered high compliance rate with 96.9% and 90.47%, respectively.
Region VI was able to establish BHERTs in 3,615 barangays registering a 89.24% compliance rate followed by Region VII with 83.85%; CALABARZON with 81.19%; 78% for the National Capital Region; Region IX with 63.71%; 52.74% for MIMAROPA; and 35.29% and 5.29% for Regions I and X.
The DILG is still awaiting for the reports coming from Regions II, VIII, XI, CAR and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The DILG Chief said that part of the BHERTs' responsibility is to monitor the community through home visitation of arriving passengers from a coronavirus-infected country within the locality, ensuring that all residents are accounted for.
The Punong Barangay (PB) must appoint BHERT members composed of an executive officer, a barangay tanod, and two barangay health workers, one of them a nurse or a midwife.
-----
ULAP COMMENDS FDCP, SUPPORTS THE PISTA NG PELIKULANG PILIPINO 3
ULAP COMMENDS FDCP, SUPPORTS THE PISTA NG PELIKULANG PILIPINO 3
On behalf of the member-leagues of Local Government Units (LGUs) and the elected sub-national leadership nationwide, the National Executive Board of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) lauds the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and its partner agencies, as well as the community of Filipino artists, for the holding of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 3 (PPP3)— a one-week exclusive screening of Filipino Films in all theaters nationwide and a kick-off activity for the celebration of Sandaan: 100 Years of Philippine Cinema.
The moving pictures, captured in film and in other state-of-the-art mediums, depict every facet of the human nature and the society we live in. Movies, as what we are familiar with, are a great source of entertainment and as such, represent a thriving industry that has become a vital part of the national economy.
Undeniably too, as a powerful tool that shapes the viewers’ mind towards a contrived end, movies can bare a nation’s soul, encrust the culture, heritage and identity of a people, or present in wry wit the body of humanoid experiences, hopes, dreams and aspirations. Hence, it is our supplication that cinema geniuses wave their wand to cast a spell that will whip up inspiration and energy to transform the countryside.
As we look forward with excitement to the line-up of entries to this year’s edition of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, we enjoin the Local Chief Executives and their local constituencies to support the homegrown artists and their crafts by trooping to the movie houses nearby!
Mabuhay ang pelikulang Pilipino!
