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Caraga Task Force vs COVID-19 heightens preparations for ‘new normal
Caraga Task Force vs COVID-19 heightens preparations for ‘new normal’ By Amethyst Joy A. Galos
BUTUAN CITY – The Caraga Regional Task Force for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (RTF COVID-19) One Caraga Shield deliberated on the region’s next steps towards the region’s gradual transition to “new normal” as the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) is being imposed in the five provinces in the region and select areas in the city until the end of May.
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During its 6th teleconference meeting last May 13, the Task Force decided to request the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) and the National Task Force (NTF) for COVID-19 to recognize the regional task force as the policy-making and coordinating body to address the COVID-19 situation in the region. The said request was intended to clarify and harmonize functions among the One Caraga Shield, the Regional Inter Agency Task Force (RIATF) chaired by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and RTF COVID-19 chaired by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
Members of the task force also agreed to expand its membership to include the regional offices of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Finance (DOF), and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Meanwhile, while the IATFEID denied the request of the city government of Butuan for an extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the entire city. The task force, however, concurred to the request of the Mayor Ronnie Vicente Lagnada to place five barangays under ECQ, 18 barangays under modified ECQ (MECQ) while the remaining barangays will be placed under GCQ.
cases in the city, Mayor Lagnada stated that some of these barangays are still subjected to intense contact tracing and testing.
Meanwhile, the RTF has also focused on accommodating the gradual recovery of the region’s economy during GCQ period, focusing on the continual operations of the wood industry.
The Caraga Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Economy Cluster, chaired by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Caraga, then passed Resolution 30-A, Series of 2020, enjoining local government units (LGUs) in Caraga to strictly comply and adhere to the economic provisions of the national guidelines issued by IATF-MEID.
Three resolutions were issued to permit the resumption of the wood industry, namely Resolution Nos. 30- B, 30-C, and 30-D, Series of 2020, requesting DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu resources grant authority to the DENR regional executive director to provisionally approve the applications of wood processing plants (WPP) permits in the region and the application for tree cutting permits for naturally grown trees affected by private development projects within titled properties during the community quarantine period, and requesting the city government of Butuan to allow WPPs to continue its operations during the extended implementation of ECQ in the city, respectively. (DMNR/PIACaraga)
