By Pearl Gumapos
President Rodrigo Duterte approved a P1.7 billion budget to be reserved for the rehiring and extension of employment of contact tracers whose contracts were supposed to expire in August.
“Nag-apruba ang ating Pangulo ng P1.7 billion para sa rehiring or extension ng ating mga contact tracers whose contracts were supposed to expire in August,” Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecratary Jonathan Malaya said during the Laging Handa public briefing on Wednesday (Sept. 1).
“Hanggang December po [ay] nakakasiguro tayo na patuloy ang kanilang serbisyo sa mga LGUs.” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaya advised local government units (LGU) to utilize rapid antigen tests for the confirmation of suspected COVID-19 cases.
“Ang rapid antigen test ay pwedeng gamitin for the confirmation of suspected or probable cases and their close contacts. Hinihikayat po namin ang mga LGUs na gamitin ang rapid antigen test for case surveillance and case finding sa kani-kanilang mga LGUs,” Malaya said.
As for granular lockdowns, Malaya said there is already a consensus among various government agencies to implement the said lockdowns.
“For final approval na ito ng IATF, but there is a consensus among the different government agencies na instead na malawakang ECQ, ang gagamitin natin ay granular lockdown na lamang,” he said.
“Sinisiguro po ng national government na meron pong augmentation na ibibigay ang national government kung saka-sakaling mag-impose ng granular lockdown ang mga LGUs,” he added. – bny
