Davao City was again placed under general community quarantine beginning Friday until November 30 due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, Malacañang said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said a One Hospital Command Center would be established in the city for an efficient referral system.
Meanwhile, private hospitals were required to increase their ward bed occupancy by at least 20% to 30%.
“Further, efforts will be made to address the shortage of nurses in health facilities and to provide additional high-oxygen cannula, favipiravir (Avigan), remdesivir, medical equipment, among others,” he added.
Roque said the local government would also tap accommodation establishments, which will serve as quarantine facilities for COVID-19 patients and health workers.
Law enforcement agencies would also assist in the enforcement of granular lockdowns upon affected communities or clusters, and if necessary, deploy personnel in the city.
The COVID-19 task force designated Melquiades Feliciano, deputy chief Implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 for the cities and Bacolod and Cebu, to assist in the COVID-19 response efforts.
Davao City reverts to GCQ
Earlier, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. has recommended that Davao City be again placed GCQ.
Last week, Duterte-Carpio issued two executive orders (EO), prohibiting non-essential travel, mandating the use of FM pass, and limiting non-city residents to come in and out of the city.
On November 13, Duterte Carpio issued EO No. 62, prohibiting non-essential travels in the city.
Under EO 62, strictly defined “essential goods and services” as “all goods and services relating to the human need for food, medicine, medical dental, and allied-medical services, health and wellness, money, work or shelter.”
The EO also brought back the mandatory use of the food and medicine (FM) pass, which should only be used by those who needed to buy food or medicine or go to the clinics and hospitals.
EO 63 said, “there is a need to seek the assistance of Joint Task Force (JTF) Covid Shield for enforcement of authorized persons outside residence (Apor) and non-Apor travel into Davao City to insulate other LGUs from the effect of the surging cases in the city as well as to further protect the residents of Davao City.”
All Apors via land and air travel must submit several requirements before they will be allowed entry to Davao City.