By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte government has created a task force
to help prevent infectious diseases.
This was contained in the five-page Executive Order No. 51-20
signed by Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc on February 19, 2020,
which aims to combat infectious diseases such as Covid-19 or commonly known as
the coronavirus and other diseases that may endanger the province.
Dubbed as, “Task Force Salun-at: Sagubanit Adaywannak”, the task
force is composed of the governor as chairperson and co-chaired by Dr.
Medeldorf Gaoat, chair of the committee on health of the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan, Dr. Josephine Ruedas, acting
provincial health officer and Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos.
It also includes the Local Finance Committee of the Provincial Government of
Ilocos Norte, the Hospital Management Council led by Dr. Rogelio Balbag, provincial
veterinarian Loida Valenzuela, provincial agriculturist Norma Lagmay, Dr. Fanny
Carmelita Domingo of the Department of Health-Ilocos Norte and the Provincial
Director of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office.
Other team members are the city and municipal mayors, and
representatives of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center,
Bureau of Quarantine, Philippine Medical Association, Civil Aviation Authority
Philippines, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, Philippine Coastguard,
Philippine Army, and the Department of Trade and Industry. Meanwhile, personnel
from the Provincial Resiliency Office shall act as the secretariat.
As stated in the EO, the task force may call upon any office,
barangay officials, non-government organizations, businesses and the private
sector for assistance, as the circumstances may require, relative to the
performance of their functions. It may also order the military, paramilitary or
security enforcers to implement quarantine measures or to facilitate the
transport of people.
In his message for the Filipino and Chinese communities regarding
the Covid-19, Mr. Manotoc said the province of Ilocos Norte stands with the
Chinese community as he expressed hope the virus problem will end soon.
“We would like to assure our Chinese community in the province
and abroad that we stand with you in this crisis. I urged everyone to take the
necessary precautions and not to look at our Chinese brothers and sisters any
different in these trying times. They still remain part of us—part of province
and our country,” said Mr. Manotoc.
Through a well-coordinated effort, the governor said the province
will continue to implement counter measures such as institutionalizing a health
task force against any threat.
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