USEC. IGNACIO: Magandang umaga, Pilipinas at sa lahat ng ating mga kababayang nakatutok saanmang panig ng mundo. Ngayong huling linggo ng Oktubre, sama-sama nating alamin ang pinakahuling sitwasyon sa bansa kaugnay sa COVID-19 pandemic. Ako po ang inyong lingkod, Usec. Rocky Ignacio, at ito ang Public Briefing #LagingHandaPH.
Bago po magtapos ang Oktubre, plano nang palawigin ng pamahalaan sa iba pang mga lugar sa bansa ang pagbabakuna sa mga edad kinse hanggang disisiete na may comorbidity. Bukod pa diyan ay plano na ring pagbibigay ng third dose ng bakuna sa healthcare workers at mga nasa vulnerable sector, kaugnay niyan, alamin natin ang mga rekomendasyon at reaksiyon ng World Health Organization kasama si Dr. Rabi Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to the Philippines. Good morning, Dr. Rabi.
DR. RABINDRA ABEYASINGHE: Good morning, Usec. Rocky.
USEC. IGNACIO: Good morning, Dr. Rabi. Dr. Rabi, may we get your initial assessment on the pediatric vaccination done here in Metro Manila so far?
DR. RABINDRA ABEYASINGHE: Thank you for the question. It’s an important question because the WHO recommends [garbled] adolescents aged 12 and above with comorbidities receive vaccines as the same priority as other priority group such as A2 and A3 groups. So it’s important that the Philippines has adopted the policy to vaccinate the adolescent [garbled] with comorbidities and [garbled] very supportive of this initial vaccination rounds in NCR, I understand have gone well, with minimum side effects. So we encourage adolescents age 12 and above who are having comorbid conditions and their guardians/parents to make sure that all of those adolescents access vaccines early. Thank you.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr. Rabi, do you agree that it’s high time to rollout the pediatric vaccination outside Metro Manila as scheduled on Friday, October 29?
DR. RABINDRA ABEYASINGHE: For the comorbid groups, yes, we do agree. But we also continue to urge that increase of [garbled] vaccine [garbled]. It means that we need to start rolling out vaccines to the larger population, the adults, but also we need to be very conscious of the equity issues. WHO has raised previously several times its concern that we do not see equity; we see unequitable situation with regards to access to vaccines in the provinces and the regions outside of NCR and the major cities, especially for the most vulnerable, the A2 and A3 groups, where coverage ranges from about 30 to 40% in many of the regions and provinces.
So with increased availability of vaccines, we continue to urge the local government units in those regions to make sure that as they rollout vaccines, they ensure prioritization is also followed so that those most vulnerable groups are vaccinated. This is critically important because we still believe that we need to be very careful with dealing with the ongoing Delta experience in some other regions and likely prioritizing vaccination of those priority groups in NCR, we need to that in those regions that are continuing to see increase number of cases if we are to save more lives.
So a strong recommendation, local government units will continue to prioritize and vaccinate those groups and the regions and provinces will ensure that there’s adequate vaccine stock to vaccinate the elderly and the comorbid populations simultaneously while vaccinating the other groups recognizing the availability of large stocks of vaccines in the country.
But what is critically important is if we are to stop the hospitals from filling up, if we are to stop the deaths, we need to ensure that elder and comorbid populations are fully vaccinated. Thank you.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr. Rabi, are there really proven studies that older children are more prone to contracting the COVID-19 virus than the younger ones? As we know, currently, we are only inoculating immunocompromised 15 to 17 years old while the face-to-face classes will resume with only third graders and below.
DR. RABINDRA ABEYASINGHE: The issue actually is that we don’t have [garbled] for the use of vaccines in under 12-year-old children as yet. So in that situation, we need to continue to ensure that the adults, the priority groups are vaccinated; and that the children, as they start going out, continue to follow the minimum public standards, that means avoiding crowded, closed settings like malls, dining areas, and ensure that they have access [garbled] by going in open spaces because we recognize that the pandemic and the movement limitation have had significant impact on the normal ability to grow up.
So we need to address this immediately, and the way to do that is in the absence of recommendations for use of vaccines in kids, in children. We need to ensure that everybody else is vaccinated to create a safe environment because these children could be a source of infection, although they could take the virus to the elders and adults so we need to ensure that the adults and the elders are fully protected. And then the kids need to follow the protocols that we have been advocating in the sense of trying to maintain physical distancing, spending more time in open spaces so that they are less exposed to the risk of being [garbled].
We know that when kids get infected, the large majority of them have mild infection. So it’s something that 20 months of the pandemic has demonstrated, and we are now more confident that they can go out as long as the adults and the elders are fully vaccinated.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr. Rabi, is the WHO still set to release its final recommendation on the third dose by November? And how likely will the WHO follow the said recommendation?
DR. RABINDRA ABEYASINGHE: Well, we already have a recommendation on the third dose for particular vaccine brands. We have a recommendation for third dose for immunocompromised people where we recognize that they are not capable of developing and sustaining the level of immunity that will protect them from severe disease and death.
So we have said that our position is now that a third dose may be provided to immunocompromised people. If they have finished their two doses, and then we also recommend that the third dose for [garbled] above 60 years who received either Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccines.
Now, in this allocation of third dose, we continue to urge that priority should be given to offer first and second dose to those who have not accessed to vaccines, and then we start the third dose administration with the most elderly.
So in other words, our recommendation is we start with the most severely immunocompromised; we start with the over 80s, then move to the over 70s, and finally to the over 60s. So this is what our position is now so that we maximize the benefit of the third dose in those groups who will be receiving third dose. But again, the priority is to provide the first and second doses to those who have not been able to get a single shot which is about three million people unfortunately still in the Philippines among the elderly.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr. Rabi, I’ll read some questions from our media partners. From Lei Alviz of GMA News on booster doses: Should health workers and senior citizens already be given third doses or booster doses? What does the evidence say?
DR. RABINDRA ABEYASINGHE: So I’d like to clarify that what we are recommending is a third dose and not a booster dose. There is a difference in the scientific terminology. And we are saying a third dose for immunocompromised or elderly people who received Sinovac and Sinopharm; everybody who received the other EUL vaccines. That is our current position.
We continue to look at the global data on the protective efficacy of the vaccines. Vaccines still remain relatively very effective in in preventing severe disease and death if you had the two doses. But in these groups of immunocompromised and the elderly who received Sinovac and Sinopharm, they appear to require a third dose as an extended primal recourse.
This is different from a booster. When we are talking boosters, we are talking of boosting the immunity in a general population. This is not what WHO [talking] at this point of time. We will review the available data and make recommendations in November when [garbled] the review of the global data. Right now, we have no recommendation on a booster dose?
USEC. IGNACIO: But, Dr. Rabindra, is it possible to get a booster shot after receiving a third dose? Is it more urgent to rollout the third dose instead of the booster shot?
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: Sorry, I didn’t [get the question]. You’re breaking up, Usec. Can you repeat the question?
USEC. IGNACIO: Yes, Doctor. Is it possible to get a booster shot after receiving a third dose? Is it more urgent to rollout the third dose instead of the booster shot, Dr. Rabindra?
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: Definitely, it is more urgent than we give the third dose. But even the third dose, the priority is to provide vaccines to those who have no doses at all. And then if our vaccines are available [administer them] to those groups that I already mentioned.
USEC. IGNACIO: Ideally, should everyone get a third dose or is it only for the immunocompromised and the vulnerable people, Dr. Rabindra?
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: It’s only for the immunocompromised at this time. Guidelines may change [garbled] in November but now we are not advocating third dose for the population.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr. Rabindra, there is another development on the Delta variant as UK experts are recently investigating a so-called Delta sub-variant. What do we know so far about this Delta sub-variant?
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: Thank you, that’s a very important question. We are talking of the so-called AY.4.2 variant which has been confirmed by Public Health England. We are looking very closely at this.
Right now, this is not classified as a variant of interest or variant of concern. So, WHO continues to monitor the spread of this particular new variant that has been detected, we are working with the public health authority in the UK and other countries that have confirmed its existence.
We want to understand the [unclear] of particular risks more than the Delta variant in terms of transmissibility, in terms of the disease it causes and it’s response to vaccines and [unclear] this has not yet been classified as a variant of interest or a variant of concern but we are following it up at this point in time.
[garbled] more evidence, we will share that with the Philippines and other countries. I also want to add that the Philippines is also monitoring variants and this particular variant has not yet been confirmed in the Philippines. So, we continue to work not only with those countries that have confirmed it but we are also checking the presence of this variant even here in the Philippines and that has not as yet been confirmed.
Thank you.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr. Rabindra, should we be alarmed here in the Philippines considering that the Alert Level System has already been implemented to more places outside Metro Manila?
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: I think we shouldn’t be alarmed. We should be actually looking at how we can make the Alert Level System more functional, more effective because the Alert Level System was brought in to bring back economic activity. This is something that we need to do and the more effectively we do it, we can move and accelerate the economic recovery.
So, it is very important that we take a calibrated approach. We don’t relax everything at once. We identify which sectors of the economy will benefit most by the measures we are taking and bring back those sectors in a very careful manner and that’s where the alert levels will be very important.
The shift would be towards local governments taking ownership of what’s happening in the areas that they can stop transmission if there is an increase in transmission in local areas. This is why the alert levels are important. We are moving away from broad lockdowns to managing the pandemic at a very local level and so this is a measure we encourage the Philippines and other countries to do.
But for that, we need to strengthen our processes and preparedness [on response] at the local government levels so that it can be effective. If it’s not effective, we will have to look at a scenario where we have to go back in to big lockdowns. And that is why we are urging that we vaccinate the elderly and the comorbids as early as possible and strengthen our system so that the alert levels can be implemented at micro level reducing the economic impact to the country.
USEC. IGNACIO: We have another media question, Dr. Rabindra. From Evelyn Quiroz of Pilipino Mirror: Do you agree with the recent downgrade to Alert Level 3 amid the decreasing number of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 cases?
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: I would use a different term, I wouldn’t say a decrease to Alert Level 3. It’s a calibration to Alert Level 3, looking at how we can open up more sectors of the economy. But there needs to be also together with the implementation of the minimum public health standards and also with increasing vaccination coverage.
And in the case of NCR, we believe that 90% or more of the population accessing second dose and over 80% [too] of the eligible population, we are in a position to take this calibrated approach. This is not a relaxation, we are calibrating and seeing how we can open up the economy, not about going back to what things were before the pandemic.
Because we continue to recognize that the virus is still circulating. I believe last week we saw a decline of the positive cases in NCR averaging more than a thousand cases. So, that means there are a lot of people infected out there and we need to follow the minimum public health standards as we carefully open up sectors of the economy.
Thank you.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr, Rabindra, from Tina Panganiban Perez of GMA News: Filipinos may already be planning reunions or trick or treats for All Souls Day, Christmas and New Year. Is it advisable to have these get together already and what can people do to avoid getting hit by COVID during these get together?
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: Well, in the first place, we need to continue to follow the minimum public health standards during get togethers and the IATF has recommended that get together be limited to the immediate family.
Now, we do recognize that its two years and people want to get together, the overseas Filipinos [want to be home] for Christmas and so our position would be that we advocate for any OFW wanting to travel back to the country to complete their vaccination doses before they come. This will provide better protection.
On the other hand, it’s also important that family members, seniors, expecting travelers or expecting to have reunions also fully vaccinated. This will minimize the risk of another big surge following these occasions.
USEC. IGNACIO: Dr. Rabindra, thank you so much for joining us today. Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe from the World Health Organization and keep safe, sir.
WHO PH REP. DR. ABEYASINGHE: Thank you so much, USec. Rocky. A pleasure to be with you.
USEC. IGNACIO: Thank you, sir.
Samantala, base po sa pinakahuling report ng Department of Health, nakapagtala ang Pilipinas ng karagdagang 5,279 na mga bagong kaso ng COVID-19. Sa kabuuan, umabot na iyan sa 2,756,923 total cases. 7,312 naman po ang naitalang bagong recoveries kaya pumalo sa 2,654,173 ang bilang ng lahat ng gumaling sa bansa, habang 41,793 naman po ang mga nasawi na nadagdagan kahapon ng 208. 2.2% ng total cases ang nagpapagaling pa o katumbas ng 60,957 active cases.
Umapela si Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go sa ilang government agencies na pag-aralan ang posibleng pagbibigay ng fuel discounts o subsidy ngayong patuloy na tumataas ang global oil prices. Narito ang detalye.
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USEC. IGNACIO: Isang linggo na ang nakararaan matapos pababain sa Alert Level 3 ang buong Kalakhang Maynila. Patuloy pa rin ang pagdagsa ng mga residente nito sa iba’t ibang pasyalan at pamilihan. Paano kaya nasisigurong ligtas at nasusunod ang health protocols lalo na sa matataong lugar sa Lungsod ng Maynila? Kaugnay niyan makakausap po natin ang Hepe ng Manila Police District, Police Brigadier General Leo Francisco. Magandang umaga po, General.
PBGEN. FRANCISCO: Magandang umaga sa ating lahat. Magandang umaga sa viewers natin at galing dito sa Manila Police District ang maagang pagbati ng Maligayang Pasko sa ating lahat.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Sir, kumusta po ‘yung unang linggo ng Alert Level 3 diyan sa Maynila? Ramdam din po ba ng pulis ang pagdami ng mga lumalabas na tao nitong nagdaang linggo?
PBGEN. FRANCISCO: Alam ninyo aside from the regular police duty that we are having in the City of Manila securing the peace and order here, mayroon kami ngayon na marami pang activities like deployment sa ating Dolomite Beach, deployment sa ating apat na malalaking sementeryo, pagtaas ng—o pagdami ng tao sa Divisoria na kailangan nating mai-address din, marami rin tayong mall registrations and iyong mga ongoing granular lockdowns natin sa iba’t ibang barangay dito.
So kung titingnan ninyo, marami ngayong activity ang Manila Police District at talagang bising-busy sa pagdami ng tao natin sa Dolomite Beach. Iyong last two weeks nagkaroon kami ngayon, ongoing ngayon iyong aming pakikipag-usap sa DENR sa ating DOT kung paano natin ma-improve pa ‘yung kasalukuyang naging sitwasyon noong nakaraang dalawang linggo. At pagkatapos siguro nito may mga pagbabago kaming ipapatupad sa pagpapasok at pag-aantabay sa ating mga tao.
Alalahanin natin na nasa Alert Level 3 pa rin tayo, ang kapulisan aside from having about 50 personnel in Dolomite Beach alone, mayroon ding tauhan ng MMDA, tauhan ng Maritime Group, ng PCG, tauhan din ng ating mga taga-DENR na nagpapatupad sa labas at loob ng Dolomite Beach. At kami naman sa Manila Police District, ang aming tanging layunin ay ma-secure ang lahat ng taong pumupunta diyan, mapatupad ang minimum public health protocols na ibinababa ng ating IATF.
Minsan nga lang sa dami ng tao at very eager na makapasok sa ating Dolomite Beach dahil siguro sa kahabaan na rin ng pagkabilanggo nila sa kani-kanilang mga bahay, nagkakaroon talaga nang manaka-nakang pagkukumpul-kumpulan at iyon ang ating binabantayan.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. General, pero kumusta po ‘yung bilang ng mga nasasawata o nahuhuli ninyong violators, dumami po ba o nabawasan naman?
PBGEN. FRANCISCO: Alam ninyo nitong Sunday na ‘to, more or less 65,000 accumulative ang dumalaw sa Dolomite Beach at pinagsasabihan naman natin ‘yung mga nasasawata natin na nagbi-break ng physical or social distancing. So iyon lang naman ang kanilang nabi-break sa lugar na iyon dahil lahat naman halos sila ay may face mask at saka face shield. Hindi natin pinapapasok doon ang walang face mask.
Nagkakaroon lang kami ngayon ng coordination sa DENR at saka sa DOT kung ano ang dapat nating gawin doon sa mga kabataan o sa mga bata dahil maliwanag ang sinasabi ng ating IATF na hindi pa natin ina-allow ang 18 years old pababa dahil nga wala pa silang bakuna.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. General, sa Dolomite Beach po iyan. Pero paano naman po ‘yung sa mga pamilihan, halimbawa po sa Divisoria, lalo po ngayon magpa-Pasko na? Kumusta po ‘yung pagbabantay ninyo doon? May ilang nakapansin na hindi raw po kasing-higpit noon ang pagpapatupad ng health protocols sa nasabing lugar ngayon?
PBGEN. FRANCISCO: Sa Divisoria area naman, from labindalawang pulis sa araw-araw noon, dinagdagan natin ito ng another 30. So [garbled] ang ating kapulisan doon na nagpapatupad ng basically ‘yung social distancing. Pinapaalalahanan sila na huwag magkumpul-kumpol. Pinapaalalahanan sila na isuot ang kanilang face mask at saka ‘yung may face shield.
So patuloy na walang-sawang nagpapaalala ang ating kapulisan kasama na ang iba’t ibang force multiplier diyan – may mga taga-barangay tayo, may iba’t ibang organization tayo ng crime watch diyan. At sabi ko nga sa inyo simula pa noong dalawang linggo hanggang ngayon at patuloy itong tataas kaya iyan iyong aming pinaghahandaan.
At kung kailangan naming magdagdag ng puwersa ng Manila Police District, iyan po ay ating gagawin para lang mapanatili iyong minimum health protocols ng ating DOH.
USEC. IGNACIO: Pero, General, sa kasalukuyan nakikita ninyo po ba na may pangangailangan talagang magdagdag ng mga pulis dito po sa mga lugar na ito? Kasi bukod po dito sa Dolomite Beach at sa Divisoria, saan pa po nakasentro iyong dapat ay presensiya ng pulis dito sa Maynila para magbantay?
PBGEN. FRANCISCO: So we have also deployment sa ating mga sementeryo kagaya ng North Cemetery. Sa ngayon itong weekend na ito, dinagsa na naman ang ating sementeryo – about 25,000 ang pumunta noong linggo at noong Sabado about 15,000. So lahat iyan ay binabantayan ng ating kapulisan at kasama na iyong iba-iba pang mga concerned agencies and other groups.
Mayroon din kaming mga paglabag na nai-record kagaya kahapon sa North Cemetery may mga 22 tayong in-accost at sinampahan natin ng kaukulang reklamo kagaya nang paglabag sa ating pagsusuot ng face mask dahil ilang beses na silang nahuhuli.
So dito naman sa Manila, iyong may ordinansa tayo na first and second offense pinagsasabihan natin ‘yan, pinu-provide-an natin sila ng face mask. Pero ‘yung third offense ay kaukulang kaso na sa paglabag ng city ordinance na iyon ang ating pinapataw sa kanila.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. General, mukhang marami-rami talaga kayong mga lugar na babantayan ano. Bukod po kasi sa mga matataong lugar, nagbabantay rin po ba kayo sa mga naka-granular lockdown? Sa ngayon po ba ay ilang areas sa Manila ang naka-lockdown?
PBGEN. FRANCISCO: May 69 areas tayong naka-lockdown sa Manila at kung titingnan natin about 134 na pulis ang ating dini-deploy diyan at ito ay dalawang shift. So kung dalawang shift ito, it’s about 268 policemen a day sa granular lockdown alone. Kaya ang kanila namang main activity doon or responsibilidad ay matiyak na walang lumalabas na tao. Sa ngayon naman zero incident kami doon at habang ginagawa naman ng Manila Health Department ang kanilang mga trabaho na i-contact trace, i-test ‘yung mga naka-lockdown na lugar namin, ang pulis naman ay kanilang katulong sa pagpapatupad noong mga tungkulin ng ating Manila Health Department officials.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. General, may tanong lang iyong mga kaibigan natin sa media. May tanong po sa inyo si Evelyn Quiroz ng Pilipino Mirror: Last month daw po, a large crowd flock to Delpan Sports Complex in Tondo, Manila disregarding physical distancing to collect the city government’s monthly pension. Do you foresee a repetition of such breach considering the downgraded alert level in Metro Manila?
P/BGEN. FRANCSICO: So with that experience, nagkaroon na kami ng coordination sa mga barangays at sinabi namin sa kanila na kung in the future, the same activities na mangyari sa kanilang mga barangay halls or gymnasium, see to it na makipag-coordinate sa mga kapulisan para maaga pa lang maka-deploy na kami at mapaalalahanan natin ang ating mga mamamayan sa pagmimintina ng social distancing. So nagamot na natin iyan sa pakikipag-coordinate sa ating mga iba’t ibang barangay at sa ating LGU sa City of Manila.
USEC. IGNACIO: Okay, General, paalala na lang po ninyo sa ating mga kababayan sa Lungsod ng Maynila?
P/BGEN. FRANCSICO: Ang inyo pong kapulisan dito sa Manila Police District ay nakikiusap na kung wala naman po tayong mahalaga at hindi naman essential services or travel iyong ating pupuntahan at exercise lang, puwede naman po huwag na lang dito sa Manila at doon na lang po tayo sa kung saan tayo nakatira. Dahil ang sentro po ngayon, ang puntahan kung hindi sa Luneta, Quiapo, Divisoria. Ito ngayon po ang Dolomite Beach, kaya nakikiusap po kami na nandiyan pa rin ang panganib ng COVID, pangalagaan natin ang ating mga kabataan lalo na ang ating mga anak at mas maganda mag-stay at home pa rin tayo.
USEC. IGNACIO: Okay, maraming salamat po. Always keep safe sa lahat ng ating mga pulis. Nakausap po natin si Police Brigadier General Leo Francisco mula po sa Manila Police District. Salamat po, sir.
P/BGEN. FRANCSICO: Maraming salamat sa inyo.
USEC. IGNACIO: Samantala, iba’t ibang bayan naman sa Southern Leyte ang binisita kamakailan ng outreach team ni Senator Bong Go kasama po ang ilang ahensiya ng gobyerno. Nasa 4,000 pamilya naman ang tumanggap ng ayuda mula sa senador at sa pamahalaan. Narito ang report:
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USEC. IGNACIO: Tuwing huling linggo ng Oktubre ay ipinagdiriwang sa bansa ang National Correctional Consciousness Week. Kaya naman kumustahin natin ang lagay ng Persons Deprived of Liberty o PDL sa bansa. Kasama po si BJMP Spokesperson Jail Inspector Xavier Solda. Good morning po, Inspector.
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Usec. Rocky, good morning at sa lahat po ng nakasubaybay sa atin ngayon.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Sir, kumusta po iyong status ng vaccination sa ngayon ng ating mga PDL nationwide? Totoo po ba na more than half na at least may first dose laban sa COVID-19? Tanong din po iyan ni JP Nuñez ng UNTV?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Well, that’s correct, Usec. Rocky at tuluy-tuloy po iyong rollout natin ng vaccination sa ating Persons Deprived of Liberty. In fact, as of today, doon po sa 123,630 na PDL po natin, ang vaccinated po ay umabot na sa 87,043 at ang naka-full dose na po diyan ay nasa 43,341. Tuluy-tuloy po iyong coordination natin sa National Vaccines Operations Center. Hindi po natin pinababayaan iyong ating mga PDL, bagkus patuloy po natin silang pinagmamalasakitan. In fact, hindi lamang po COVID-19 vaccine ang mga ibinibigay natin sa kanila, kasama po sa mga strategies ng BJMP para po maingatan at mapalakas iyong kalusugan ng ating mga PDL ay ang pagbibigay din sa kanila ng flu vaccine at pneumococcal vaccine. In fact, as of today, 81,272 na PDL po ang binigyan din ng flu vaccine at 3,812 ang nabigyan naman ng pneumococcal vaccine. Tuluy-tuloy po itong pagbabakuna na ginagawa natin, Usec. Rocky para po maprotektahan at matulungang mapalakas ang pangangatawan ng mga PDL na nasa pangangalaga po ng BJMP.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Sunod pong tanong ni JP Nuñez: Challenge pa rin po ba ang vaccine supply at kumusta po ang coordination ng BJMP sa mga LGU in terms of vaccine supplies?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Well, unang-una nagpapasalamat nga po tayo sa mga LGUs po natin, kasi hindi po nila pinababayaan ang kanilang mga constituencies na under po ng BJMP at salamat din po sa atin pong mga wardens dahil tuluy-tuloy po iyong pakikipag-ugnayan nila. Kaya nga po base sa datos natin, pumalo na po sa 87,043 iyong nabakunahan. Iyon nga lang po, sana magtuluy-tuloy po ito ay sana po iyon pong ating mga representatives from the Department of Health and other health sectors ay magtulung-tulong at huwag pong makalimutan iyon pong ating mga kapatid na nasa bilangguan.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Pero ang tanong naman po ni Evelyn Quiroz ng Pilipino Mirror: The Philippine government has vaccinated only 10% daw po of convicted prisoners in correctional facilities nationwide. Data from the Bureau of correction showed. Are there plans to increase this number to reduce the risk of infestation among the inmates? May data po ba kayo, ilan ang nagkaroon ng COVID sa mga correctional facilities nationwide? At ilan daw po iyong mga sumakabilang buhay?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Well, we are hoping po na iyong mga nasa Bureau of Corrections, lahat sila ay mabakunahan at mapabilis din po iyong inoculation, though magkaiba po kasi ang BuCor at ang BJMP. As far as the BJMP is concerned, mataas po iyong bilang ng ating mga nabakunahan na PDL and pagdating naman po sa kaso, good news, Usec. Rocky, kasi doon po sa 4,610 na naitala po na kaso sa BJMP, pagdating po sa mga PDL natin simula po noong Marso noong nakaraang taon, 4,441 ay fully recovered na at 50 active cases na lang po ang natitira. Though, mayroon po tayong 50 na mga casualties, ito po iyong mga may comorbidities. And base po sa datos din po natin, bukod po sa effective na strategy ng BJMP sa coordination and inoculation on COVID-19 vaccines for the PDL po natin, kasama na rin po iyong pagbibigay din natin ng flu vaccine.
Last six months bumaba na po, diri-diretso, hindi na po tumaas iyong bilang ng mga kaso natin sa mga BJMP facilities. In fact, noon hong April ano, mayroon ho tayong three hundred [garbled] cases at ngayong araw ho 50 na lang and we’re hoping na bumaba pa ho ito at sana ho ma-zero na natin.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Sir, pero so far wala naman po bang untoward incident o adverse effect na naitala sa mga PDL na nabakunahan?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: As far as the records of the BJMP is concerned, Usec. Rocky, wala naman po tayong naitala na adverse reactions. In fact, sa mga PDL ho natin nagpapasalamat pa ho sila na sila ay napabilang ‘no. At pagdating naman ho doon sa mga nararamdaman nila, maliban ho sa saya, wala na po silang mga iba pa hong nararamdaman.
USEC. IGNACIO: Pero, Inspector, inuuna rin po ba ang mga may comorbidity at mga high risk?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: That’s correct, Usec. Rocky, priority po ng BJMP iyon hong ating mga vulnerable PDL. In fact, simula ho noong nagkaroon ng first case sa BJMP, nag-apply na ho kaagad tayo noong reverse isolation method – ibig sabihin iyon hong pinaka-vulnerable, iyon hong mga senior citizens, may comorbidities ina-isolate na po ‘yan sila.
And nagtayo ho kasi tayo ng mga Ligtas COVID Centers na kung saan iyon hong mga asymptomatic at mga mild symptoms na mga COVID-19 patient natin, doon po natin sila dinadala for more focused medical attention. Definitely iyon naman hong mga severe dalhin na ho natin sila sa hospitals kasi mayroon hong mas akma na mga kagamitan.
But as far as the strategies of the BJMP is concerned, based po sa datos natin bumababa po ‘yung bilang at hopefully nga po ay tuluyan nating ma-zero na ‘yung cases ng COVID-19 sa atin hong mga BJMP facilities.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Sir, issue po ba ‘yung physical distancing diyan? Kasi paano po tinutugunan ng BJMP ang iba pang pangangailangan ng ating mga PDL dito nga sa gitna ng pandemya? Kasi papaano po nasisiguro iyong safety nila lalo’t alam naman po nating congested ang maraming piitan kaya medyo imposible po ‘yung physical distancing?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Well, that’s correct ‘no, Usec. Rocky. Medyo challenge po sa BJMP ang congestion rate natin but definitely naman with the health and security protocols na inilatag po natin ‘no at aware po ang personnel natin at ang BJMP, ang mga PDL po natin sa BJMP dito kaya ho natuturuan natin na maingatan ang kanilang mga sarili. [Garbled] naman po ‘yung pagmu-monitor natin doon sa mga vulnerable PDL natin [garbled] kung mayroon kang mga COVID-19-like symptoms, pagpasok mo pa lang sa BJMP facilities, base sa health records po, kakailanganin ka na i-isolate.
Ganoon po ang ginagawa natin and then continuous po iyong health monitoring natin doon sa mga vulnerable PDL, sila ho ‘yung minu-monitor natin pagdating ho sa mga pangangailangan nila araw-araw – sa usaping medikal, iyong pagbibigay ng bitamina sa kanila and iyong tuluy-tuloy po na pagmu-monitor sa kanila at kung kakailanganin po ‘yung pagdala sa kanila sa mga hospitals kung mangangailangan pa ng ibang exams.
Pero kung titingnan na rin natin, Usec. Rocky ano, sa pagdating naman ho sa congestion sa loob nang nakalipas na limang taon, bumaba na po ‘yan simula ho noong 2017 na pumalo ho sa 612%, sa kasalukuyan ho nasa 415% na lamang po tayo.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Pero, sir, madalas po ba ang ginagawang swabbing o ‘yung swab test dito po sa ating mga—dito sa PDL o diyan sa BJMP?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Well actually po, Usec. Rocky, bago ka naman pumasok sa mga BJMP facilities natin ano, doon ho sa mga local government units natin na mayroon hong kakayanan na i-swab test muna bago sila ipasok sa mga BJMP facilities natin, ginagawa po natin ‘yan. And kung doon naman ho sa mga PDL natin na kinakakitaan ng mga sintomas, then definitely po mag-a-undergo po ‘yan sila ng swabbing para ho ma-check natin, masiguro ho natin na kahit nandoon ho sila sa isolation facilities ng BJMP eh namu-monitor po natin bago po sila dalhin ‘no doon sa general population.
Kasi po, Usec. Rocky, iyon hong mga bagong PDL natin, hindi naman ho kaagad ‘yan hinahalo sa general population – ia-isolate muna sila, 14 days po sila doon para i-monitor iyong condition nila and para rin ho masiguro natin na kung sakaling mga carrier ho itong mga ito ay hindi ho sila makakahawa doon sa general population at dadalhin ho sila sa Ligtas COVID Centers for more focused medical attention.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Sir, paano naman po iyong sistema sa mga dalaw?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Sa kasalukuyan po, temporary suspended pa rin po iyong contact visitation. Bahagi ho ito ng pag-iingat na ginagawa ng BJMP. Hindi lang naman po iyong mga PDL ang pinagmamalasakitan po ng BJMP na huwag mahawa, kung hindi ho iniisip din ho namin iyong kapakanan ng mga pamilya na pupunta sa facilities namin, magbibiyahe, lalo na ho doon sa highly urbanized areas or areas na mataas ho iyong COVID-19 cases. Sila ho talaga iyong iniisip natin ‘no.
But for the meantime, kinausap naman ho natin at ipinaliwanag natin sa mga pamilya at sa PDL na while temporarily suspended ang contact visitation, in-expand po natin iyong ating electronic dalaw at pagdating naman ho sa mga essential items, puwede ho silang magpaabot doon ho sa mga jail facilities natin.
Ang mahalaga ho, Usec. Rocky, masiguro po muna natin na ligtas ang mga pamilya, hindi ho sila carrier pagdating ho sa pagpasok sa mga jail facilities natin at nasisiguro natin na tuluy-tuloy iyong ugnayan ng mga PDL namin sa kanila hong mga kaanak sa labas.
USEC. IGNACIO: Opo. Sir, ngayon pong huling lingo ng Oktubre ipinagdiriwang po natin iyong National Correctional Consciousness Week. So, ano po iyong mga aktibidad ng BJMP tungkol dito at gaano po ba kahalaga ang taunang selebrasyon na ito para sa ating mga kababayan sa bilangguan?
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Well, doon ho sa Presidential Proclamation 551, iyong pagdedeklara ng National Correctional Consciousness Week, eh mahalaga ho ito hindi lamang po sa mga PDL kung hindi sa kanilang mga pamilya at sa kanilang mga komunidad.
Pinagtitibay ho nito iyong pangangailangan na huwag ho nating kalimutan iyong sektor ng kulungan sapagkat ang isyu ho ng mga facilities natin, ang isyu ho ng mga PDL namin ay hindi lamang ho ito isyu ng BJMP, kung hindi isyu ho ito ng bawat sektor ng lipunan na puwede naman ho nating pagtulung-tulungan.
Kasi ho kung hindi ho natin tutulungan, hindi ho natin gagabayan iyong mga kapatid natin na nasa kulungan na nagkamali ng desisyon sa buhay, this will be the same set of people na maaaring bumalik sa community at maligaw muli ng landas.
And ngayon nga hong National Correctional Consciousness Week, muli ho kaming nagpapaalala sa ating mga kababayan na mahalaga ho ang buhay at dignidad ng mga kapatid natin sa kulungan. Patuloy ho natin silang pagmalasakitan at samahan ninyo po ang BJMP sa pagsusulong ng mga livelihood programs, behavior management programs, ng mga cultural and sports activities, ng counselling ‘no, pati ho iyong mga mental health concerns at lahat ho tayo, sama-sama po tayo na tulungan natin iyong mga kapatid natin na nasa kulungan para sa kanilang tuluy-tuloy na pagbabagong buhay.
USEC. IGNACIO: Okay. Kami po ay nagpapasalamat sa inyong panahon, Jail Chief Inspector Xavier Solda. Salamat po, Sir.
J/CINSP. SOLDA: Salamat din po, Usec. Rocky. Magandang umaga po.
USEC. IGNACIO: Samantala, magbabalik pa ang Public Briefing #LagingHandaPH.
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USEC. IGNACIO: Puntahan naman po natin ang mga balitang nakalap ng Philippine Broadcasting Service sa mga lalawigan ng bansa. Ihahatid po iyan ni John Mogol mula sa PBS-Radyo Pilipinas.
[NEWS REPORT]
USEC. IGNACIO: Maraming salamat sa iyo, John Mogol.
Dumako naman po tayo sa Davao Region, may ulat si Hanna Salcedo.
[NEWS REPORT]
USEC. IGNACIO: Maraming salamat sa iyo, Hanna Salcedo.
Maraming salamat din po sa ating mga partner agencies para sa kanilang suporta sa ating programa at maging ang Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP).
At dito na po nagtatapos ang ating programa sa araw na ito. 61 days na lamang po at Pasko na.
Ako pong muli ang inyong lingkod, Usec. Rocky Ignacio. Magkita-kita po ulit tayo bukas dito sa Public Briefing #LagingHandaPH.
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SOURCE: PCOO-NIB (News and Information Bureau-Data Processing Center)
