Duterte aides to be ‘bridges’ between MECQ areas, gov’t agencies: Nograles

President Rodrigo Duterte’s aides will act as “bridges” between national government agencies and local officials in Metro Manila and other areas under the second strictest lockdown level to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Friday.

The government's pandemic task force on Wednesday approved giving Cabinet secretaries corresponding city and provincial assignments in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine until Aug. 18.

• Cabinet secretaries assigned to oversee virus response in MECQ areas

“LGU-led pa rin naman itong laban against COVID-19. Kami ay nandito bilang suporta ng national government,” Nograles told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo.

“Kumbaga, kami iyong magiging tulay ng ating mga LGU papunta sa ating mga national government agencies,” he added .

(The COVID-19 fight will still be LGU-led. We are here as support from the national government. We will be the so-called bridge of our LGUs to our national government agencies.)

Nograles and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III are assigned to Quezon City.

The pair will focus on local transmission of the virus, the city’s healthcare capacity and contact tracing, said Nograles.

• QC mayor: Incomplete patient data from DOH slows down contact-tracing

The pandemic task force is still studying the recommendation of an analytics team on whether or not to extend the MECQ in
Metro Manila and neighboring Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal provinces, he said.

TeleRadyo, Aug. 14, 2020