• DOH strictly monitoring Zika virus infections
• Filipinos must be positive as new administration assumes office, says Palace
• Government monitoring Iraq situation after series of deadly bombings

In a radio interview Saturday, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said the Department of Health is on top of the situation.

“Nakikita naman natin Lany na masigasig ang ating Department of Health sa pangunguna ni Secretary Janette Garin sa pagsubaybay at pagtutok sa lahat ng kaso. Kaya’t agad na na-detect at nai-report, na-quarantine, nagamot, na-identify kahit na nangibang-bansa na sila,” he told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

The DOH is also coordinating with other centers for disease prevention in other countries to fight the virus, he said.

There is also a need to understand the nature of Zika virus. Like dengue fever, Zika virus is transmitted through mosquito bite. If the public observe cleanliness, there will be no transmission of Zika virus or other diseases.

“Kaya lahat ng ‘yan dapat ay pagtuunan natin ng pansin at handang-handa naman ang ating pamahalaan, maagap at masipag ang ating Department of Health at ang mga ahensya nito sa pagharap sa mga virus at sa iba pang mga banta sa ating kalusugan,” he said.

Coloma also said the public must also support DOH especially after the launched of AIDS hour aimed at raising awareness about the disease.

Part of the government initiative is disseminating information about HIV and AIDS to warn the public about the virus.

“Pagtulungan po natin ‘yan, nag-uumpisa po sa awareness, nag-uumpisa sa kamalayan na kung ano ang dapat gawin, kung isasapuso natin ito ay mas madali nating mapagtutulungan ang pagtugon sa banta ng HIV virus at ng AIDS,” Coloma said. PND (as)

In a radio interview Saturday, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr was asked if the Palace worries about loosing economic momentum as the Aquino administration hands over the leadership to the incoming administration.

As a response, Coloma said that in the last six years, the Aquino government has strived hard to maintain investors’ confidence for the Philippines.

“Kaya nga sa nakaraang anim na taon ay masigasig nating itinatag ang matibay na pundasyon, matibay na imprastraktura sa pamamagitan ng good governance o sa mabuting pamamahala,” Coloma told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“Paulit-ulit ngang pinupunto ni Pangulong Aquino: Good governance translates to good economics. At panatag naman tayo na ang pundasyon na inilatag ay matibay, hindi ito mabubuway dahil lang sa hangin.”

Staying positive will be good for the country, he said.

“Mahalaga dito ay ang pagkakaroon ng positibong mindset. Hindi na dapat tayo mag-inject pa ng mga negatibong ideya sa ngayong panahon,” according to Coloma.

“Mas importante ang pagiging positibo, ang pagiging optimistiko, at ang pagkakaroon ng matatag na paniniwala natin sa ating sarili na tayo ay mabubuting tao at kaya natin lumikha ng maaliwalas na kinabukasan para sa ating bansa.”

With regards to the plan of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to retain some Cabinet members from the Aquino government, Coloma said it is up to the newly elected president to decide.

Duterte must be given a free hand in choosing the composition of his Cabinet for him to get the best and the brightest, Coloma said.

“At sa aking personal na opinyon, makakatulong din ‘yung mayroong karanasan sa nakaraang administrasyon kumbaga ay mababawasan ang learning curve, ‘yung paghahanda, ‘yung pagiging maalam dahil meron ng nakaraang karanasan na pagbabatayan,” he said. PND (as)

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a radio interview Saturday that the Aquino government has a long-standing policy of ensuring the safety of Filipinos overseas.

“At simula’t sapul, patungkol diyan sa Iraq at sa mga areas of conflict, nagtakda na noong nakaraan pa ng different alert levels ang ating pamahalaan,” Coloma told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“Kung saan ay pinapayuhan kung kailan dapat lumikas, kung kailan dapat mag-evacuate na. At patuloy namang pinaiiral ang mga security protocols na ‘yan.”

“Kaya makakaasa tayo, lalung-lalo na diyan sa nabanggit na lugar, diyan sa Iraq, ay masinsing tinututukan ito at tinitiyak ng ating pamahalaan na mabibigyan ng sapat na ayuda at tulong ang ating mga mamamayan patungkol sa kanilang seguridad at kaligtasan.”

ISIS says, the Sunni terror group is behind a series of attacks in Iraq’s capital Wednesday that targeted Shiites, and left more than 90 people dead, according to a CNN report, where at least 64 people were killed when a car bomb went off in a market in Baghdad, citing information from Iraqi police. Another 87 people were wounded in that attack in the largely Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City.Also, a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest detonated in a busy square in the Shiite neighborhood of al-Kadhimiya, killing 17 people and wounding 43 others.

The police also reported that a suicide car bomber exploded in the Sunni neighborhood of al-Jamia in western Baghdad, killing 12 people and wounding 31 others. The attackers targeted a checkpoint manned by Shiites. PND (as)