Duterte orders faster COVID-19 action plan implementation

President Duterte has ordered security forces to accelerate the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

The NAP is chaired by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and co-chaired by Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, involving key departments like DND, DILG, DOH, and DSWD.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles announced the plan, stating it includes measures for clear and accurate information dissemination, averting new cases, and facilitating the detection, isolation, and mitigation of the disease's impact.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will serve as the policy-making body, while the National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19, headed by the Secretary of National Defense, will be the operational command.

The National Incident Command will handle day-to-day concerns and operations, and a task group on response operations, headed by the Department of Health (DOH), will address enforcement, security, food security, disaster risk management, and labor issues.