By NG Seruela
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday (Aug. 26) said the StaySafe app used in contact tracing is effective in the country’s fight against COVID-19 following the statement of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on how the app has “almost no impact” in the government’s contact tracing efforts.
In today’s Laging Handa public briefing, DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III reported that 6.4 million Filipinos have registered in the StaySafe app.
“Siguro po hindi lang po na-update si Secretary Duque na patuloy pa rin po tayong nag-e-expand ng ating mga rehistrado sa StaySafe. As of today, mayroon na ho tayong 6.4 million na nagrehistro na ating mga kababayan sa StaySafe,” he said.
“Mayroon na ho nag-generate ito ng more or less 47 million na nag-scan po ng kanilang pag-ikot sa mga establisyimento. Mayroong kulang-kulang na 4.25 million na ating mga kababayan na napag-generate-an na nitong tinatawag nating quarantine codes,” he added.
Densing bared that the app also recorded 115 confirmed COVID-19 positive individuals in July. He said that the individuals were barred entry in the establishments they were going to prevent the further spread of the virus.
“115 of them last July at dahil po lumabas po, nag-work iyong ating StaySafe, hindi po sila pinapasok sa mga establishments na ito at ito po ay isang pamamaraan para mapigilan ang potensyal na pagkalat nitong COVID-19 dahil may mga COVID-19 positive ang gustong pumasok at kung saka-sakali sana nakapagkalat pa sila or nakapanghawa pa.”
He explained that if a COVID-19 positive individual attempts to enter an establishment, their office will be alerted, and they will call the local government concerned to conduct the necessary measures.
“Ang ginagawa na lang po namin, binibigyan na namin ng instruction ang aming IT group na mabigyan halimbawa ng information o alert iyong aming opisina para kung mayroong may mag-attempt na pumasok sa isang establishment na siya ay positive, mabibigyan kami ng alert at matawagan po namin ang lokal na gobyerno para masabihan na ang isang tao na ito ay umiikot at dapat po ay pigilan nilang gumalaw at i-isolate at i-quarantine kaagad,” he said. -rir
