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MANILA, Philippines – The Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved the Department of Transportation (DOTr) measure to reduce physical distancing between passengers on public transportation, presidential spokesman Harry Roque insisted Tuesday .
“That was approved by the IATF. I heard it myself at the IATF meeting and no one objected, ”said Roque, who also serves as the IATF spokesperson, at a televised press conference at the Palace.
“Ang punto naman ng DOTr, and I raised this with the president, to be fair to the DOTr, it was approved by the entire IATF because it came after the report from the NEDA secretary, Chua, which shows through data how it cannot be reopened the economy without increasing access to public transportation, “he added.
Roque’s remarks come after Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced that the DOTr directive was issued without consultation from health experts and without approval from the multi-agency working group.
In a radio interview on Tuesday morning, Year, at the same time vice president of the IATF, said the task force only gave the green light to the recommendation to update the latest COVID-19 practices in consultation with medical experts.
LEE: DOTr approved new rule of social distancing without consultation of health experts – Year
Last week, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said that the IATF and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) allowed the proposal to decrease physical distancing within utility vehicles (USPs) to 0, 75 meters of one meter, which is recommended by World Health. Organization.
The new physical distancing rule was implemented on Monday, September 14.
In a Malacañang meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who chairs the IATF, raised the concerns of medical experts against reducing physical distancing in public transportation.
Duque cited the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 study that shortening the required distance between passengers can result in an additional 686 daily coronavirus infections.
But Roque, who was also present at the meeting, said the DOH did not object to the decision to reduce the distance between passengers at the PUV. However, Duque said he was not present when the issue was raised.
However, Roque said that the IATF will discuss the matter at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
“There will be a resolution … as soon as the meeting is over, I will issue a statement on what was agreed in regards to mass transportation,” he said.
KGA
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