DILG reminds LGUs to enforce health standards under GCQ

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año reminded local government units (LGUs) to implement health standards as Metro Manila shifts to a general community quarantine (GCQ) on June 1, 2020.

LGUs are mandated to enforce minimum health standards such as mask-wearing, curfew, physical distancing, and a one-passenger rule in tricycles.

Local officials have the authority to impose localized lockdowns in critical barangays with the concurrence of the regional Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Año urged the public to report any failure of local chief executives in implementing health measures to ensure public safety.

LGUs are encouraged to adopt new ways of doing business, including online applications, payments, and the use of telemedicine platforms.

The DILG Secretary emphasized the need to deploy more police and barangay tanods to monitor compliance with health regulations in crowded public places.

Año acknowledged the challenges posed by the return of OFWs and the relocation of informal settler families, urging LGUs to exert more effort in managing their communities.

He stressed that the fight against COVID-19 is a two-way street requiring cooperation from both authorities and the public.