Heroes Hall, Malacañan Palace
March 16, 2020

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presided the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) held at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace.

The meeting followed the President’s declaration that effective immediately, the entire Luzon Island is placed under an ‘Enhanced Community Quarantine’ – a measure being undertaken by the government to fight the rapid spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the country.

In a Memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on March 13, 2020 regarding the ‘Stringent Social Distancing Measures and Further Guidelines for the Management of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation’, an ‘Enhanced Community Quarantine’ means the following: strict home quarantine shall be implemented in all households; transportation shall be suspended; provision for food and health services shall be regulated; and there shall be heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures.

During the meeting, the IATF-EID members discussed concerns pertaining to the said quarantine and other updates in the measures being done by the Task Force in addressing COVID-19.

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