Recommendations Relative to the Management of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation

April 15, 2020

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 024, S. 2020

RECOMMENDATIONS RELATIVE TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CORONA VIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) SITUATION

WHEREAS, on March 8, 2020, recognizing that the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires the mobilization of a whole-of-government response, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte declared a State of Public Health Emergency in the entire Philippines through Proclamation No. 922;

WHEREAS, on March 16, 2020, to prevent the sharp rise of COVID-19 cases in the country, the President placed the entirety of Luzon under Enhanced Community Quarantine until April 12, 2020;

WHEREAS, to mitigate and contain the transmission of COVID-19, and to mobilize the provision of basic necessities to sectors adversely affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 11469, or the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act";

WHEREAS, on April 7, 2020, upon the recommendation of the IATF, the President extended the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine over the entirety of Luzon until April 30, 2020;

WHEREAS, as of April 15, 2020, there are five thousand four hundred fifty-three (5,453) confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved, that the IATF approves the following:

A. Foreign cruise ships carrying Filipino crew shall be allowed to dock in ports in Manila and to be used as a quarantine facility for said Filipino crew members, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the member agencies of the Sub-Task Group for the Repatriation of Overseas Filipino Workers pursuant to their respective mandates. Further, the foreign crew onboard aforesaid foreign cruise ships shall be allowed to disembark in Manila for the sole purpose of taking outbound flights to their final destination abroad as previously allowed pursuant to Inter-Agency Task Force Resolution No. 15 series of 2020; provided such foreign crew have also completed the fourteen-day mandatory quarantine upon disembarkation.

B. Pursuant to the directive of the President, the Department of Health (DOH), in cooperation with its Technical Advisory Group (TAG), is directed to finalize guidelines for the supplementary utilization of FDA-approved rapid antibody test kits;

C. The following recommendations of the Department of Agriculture (DA) are adopted:

1. The government shall pursue the optimum level of harvesting activities and planting operations with the support of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), as well as the prepositioning of agricultural inputs for early planting;

2. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall advise LGUs to actively partner with the Regional Field Offices of the DA for the operational planning and implementation of various programs and projects of the agency;

3. Food value chain logistics shall be improved; and

4. The Cash for Work (C4W) Program in Agriculture shall be explored.

D. The IATF approves the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to pursue Supply Chain Regulatory Impact Assessments and to develop the Supply Chain Analysis (SCAN) Dashboard in cooperation with partner agencies and select private entities. The outputs of the Regulatory Impact Assessments shall be referred to the IATF as a whole or any of its member agencies and the outputs of the SCAN Dashboard shall be referred to the National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19 for its consideration.

E. The updated nomenclature in classifying individuals for the surveillance and management of the COVID-19 health event is adopted. Patients under Investigation (PUIs) with mild, severe, or critical symptoms whose results have not yet been released shall be designated as 'suspect' cases. PUIs with inconclusive test results shall be classified as 'probable' cases. No changes shall be made in the designation of Persons under Monitoring (PUMs), and shall still be reported and managed accordingly.

F. The Department of Energy shall form part of the expanded membership of the Inter-Agency Task Force.

APPROVED during the 24th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this 15th of April, 2020 via video conference.

FRANCISCO T. DUQUE IIISecretary, Department of Health

EDUARDO M. AÑOSecretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government

BERNADETTE ROMULO-PUYATSecretary, Department of Tourism

SILVESTRE H. BELLO IIISecretary, Department of Labor and Employment

MENARDO I. GUEVARRASecretary, Department of Justice

GREGORIO B. HONASAN IISecretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology

BRIGIDO J. DULAYUndersecretary, Department of Foreign Affairs

ARTEMIO U. TUAZONUndersecretary, Department of Transportation

Conforme:

KARLO ALEXEI B. NOGRALESCabinet Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat of the Philippines

HERMOGENES C. ESPERONSecretary, National Security Council

CARLITO G. GALVEZ JR.Secretary, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

JOSE RUPERTO MARTIN M. ANDANARSecretary, Presidential Communications Operations Office

(SGD.) RAMON M. LOPEZSecretary, Department of Trade and Industry

WILLIAM D. DARSecretary, Department of Agriculture

ROY A. CIMATUSecretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources

LEONOR M. BRIONESSecretary, Department of Education

CESAR B. YANOUndersecretary, Department of National Defense

ADORACION M. NAVARROUndersecretary, National Economic and Development Authority

BAYANI H. AGABINUndersecretary, Department of Finance

ROLANDO JOSELITO D. BAUTISTASecretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development

RICARDO P. BERNABE IIIUndersecretary, Office of the Executive Secretary

SALVADOR B. PANELOSecretary, Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel

ROLANDO U. TOLEDOAssistant Secretary, Department of Budget and Management

RICARDO B. JALADAdministrator, Office of the Civil Defense

ARCHIE FRANCISCO F. GAMBOAChief, Philippine National Police

FELIMON T. SANTOS, JR.Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines

JOEL S. GARCIACommandant, Philippine Coast Guard

DANILO D. LIMChairman, Metro Manila Development Authority

JEREMIAH B. BELGICADirector-General, Anti-Red Tape Authority