UPDATE Cabinet, anti-COVID czars meet over concerns of medical community

August 2, 2020

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea convened a meeting of the Cabinet, National Task Force Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez  and the anti-COVID czars Saturday night.

The meeting, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, will address concerns of the medical community.

''Recommendations from the aforesaid meeting will also be submitted tonight for the President's review,'' said Roque.

Cabinet members in the meeting were Secretary of Budget and Management Wendel Avisado, Secretary of Trade and Industry Ramon Lopez, Secretary of Health Francisco Duque, Secretary of Interior and Local Government Eduardo Ano, National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Michael Ong and Presidential Assistant for Foreign Affairs Robert Borje.

Included also in the meeting are the National Task Force Chief Implementer Charlie Galvez, the anti-COVID czars namely: Deputy Chief Implementer of the NTF Vince Dizon and One Hospital Incident Command Chief Leopoldo Vega.

Senator Bong Go, as chair of the Senate Committee on Health, attended the meeting.

Before the  meeting convened by Medialdea,  Duque, Lorenzana, Lopez, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque, Galvez. Dizon, and other senior government officials met with the representatives of  the Philippine Medical Association, the Philippine Nurses Association, and the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists to discuss the concerns of the medical community amid the challenges of COVID-19.

Earlier in the day, medical societies wrote President Rodrigo Duterte asking him to place the National Capital Region under enhanced community quarantine once more following a surge in new coronavirus disease cases.

The Department of Health said daily new COVID-19 cases soared to a record high for the third straight day, with total cases nearing 100,000.

New cases were reported at 4,963, placing the total at 98,232. Active cases, however, were at 30, 928. DMS