Statement of Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on the confirmed COVID-19 cases in PCOO

PCOO PR

We regret to inform everyone that, as of 2:10 PM of July 26, 2020, we have 19 COVID-19 active cases among our personnel who were infected while performing their duties to the public. Some of these personnel are involved in the production of communication materials, and TV and radio programs which support our daily briefings.

Upon the confirmation of COVID-19 case last July 21, 2020, our office immediately conducted testing and contact tracing of primary and secondary contacts of the patient among our staff to minimize the transmission of the virus. From thereon, we have intensified our testing and contact tracing to include all of our skeleton workforce in order to ensure everyone’s safety.

We continue to assist and support the family of those who have been infected by COVID-19, in the same way we ensure the safety of all of our personnel against the virus.

To further intensify our initiatives and actions in addressing the situation, a COVID-19 Response Team has also been formed to coordinate all of the office’s efforts on contact tracing, testing, monitoring, and isolation/quarantine. It is comprised of select COVID-19 Warriors from every office within PCOO, who will serve as focal/point persons for all of the COVID-19 related efforts of PCOO.

Rest assured that the delivery of essential and timely information to the Filipino public will continue despite the unfortunate circumstance we are facing. As work at the New Executive Building (NEB) remains suspended, we continue to adopt a work-from -home arrangement in order to fulfill our obligations and mandate to the Filipino people.

Meanwhile, Radio Television-Malacanang will be under a two-week lockdown after two of its personnel tested positive for the virus. It is also conducting contact tracing and testing for those who had close contact with the said personnel. For tomorrow’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), RTVM will be deploying a different team composed of individuals who had no contact with the infected personnel. A contingency plan is also being put into place.

On President Rodrigo Duterte’s upcoming fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), we have prepared three separate Zoom viewing rooms for Cabinet officials, local chief executives, Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). These virtual viewing rooms will cater to select individuals who cannot be physically present during the address.

We will continue to support our colleagues and pray for their speedy recovery, as we endeavor with the whole Duterte administration and all our fellow Filipinos to heal and rise as one nation.

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