Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) — Faulty prevention efforts — not contact tracing — is the weakest link in the efforts to fight COVID-19, according to a Department of the Interior and Local Government official.
“Kami po sa DILG have never believed na ang ating contact tracing is the weakest link. We disagree. In fact, dun sa ating PDITR strategy which is to prevent, detect, isolate, trace and rehabilitate or reintegrate, sa tingin ko po ang weakest link natin ay yung ating…prevention,” Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a televised briefing Thursday.
[Translation: We at the DILG have never believed that contact tracing was the weakest link. We disagree. In fact, in the PDITR strategy which is to prevent, detect, isolate, trace and rehabilitate or reintegrate, I believe the weakest is prevention.]
Earlier, Baguio City mayor and Contact Tracing czar Benjamin Magalong said contact tracing was the weakest link among the “pillars” of the government’s pandemic response.
Malaya disagreed.
“Kaya nga po tayo ay nanghuhuli ng kababayan nating hindi sumusunod sa mga minimum health standards dahil nandun po madaming violation,” he added.
[Translation: That’s why we apprehend people who don’t follow minimum health standards.]
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Malaya said the country’s detection efforts, which include contact tracing, is in a “good position” as the DILG continued to add to contact tracing units.
Earlier this month, the DILG, the Labor and Employment, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority signed an agreement for the hiring, training, and deployment of some 5,754 contact tracers for three months starting May.
Of the 5,754 new contact tracers, 1,347 will be deployed in Quezon City; 713 in Caloocan City; 707 in Manila; 349 in Pasig; 333 in Taguig; and 302 in Parañaque. Another 278 will be assigned in Valenzuela; 259 in Makati; 234 in Muntinlupa; 268 in Las Piñas; and 209 in Marikina. The remaining 192 will be in Pasay; 171 in Mandaluyong; 161 in Navotas; 152 in Malabon; 47 in San Juan; and 32 in Pateros.
Malaya appealed to the public to follow health and safety protocol such as wearing of face masks and face shields, and to observe physical distancing to reduce the chance to catching COVID-19.
