The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday (Sept. 29) assured the safe filing of certificates of candidacy of individuals who will be running for the 2022 Elections.
According to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the DOH is coordinating with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to avoid superspreader events in the filing of candidacy.
“Mayroon naman tayong direct coordination with the Comelec. Actually, they always refer to us in terms of these kinds of events and we give them our recommendations. Our recommendations would still be to align with the current protocols of our response to COVID-19,” Vergeire said in a DOH public briefing.
“So kapag iyong event po, sa tingin will produce crowding or gathering of people, kami po ay nage-emphasize ng safety mga taong pupunta, ng mga taong magtatrabaho. We recommend the same principles as we have been implementing in the past,” she added.
These principles include the monitoring or screening of symptoms, proper ventilation, and adequate social distancing between and among the people.
“These should be implemented by Comelec. Maganda nga, may mga simulation po. Bago tayo mag-umpisa ay ma-ipakita sana at makapagkaroon ng pag-uusap based on this simulation kung ano pa iyong measures for us to improve. Para naman masiguro natin iyong safety ng lahat ng tao sa darating na event na iyan,” Vergeire said.
The filing of candidacy of potential candidates starts tomorrow (Oct. 1) and ends on Oct. 8. – Report from Patrick de Jesus/PG-rir