Department of Health (DOH) official said Monday no one can refuse quarantine procedures now that the Philippines is already under a state of a public health emergency.
“‘Yung mga magre-resist hong mag-quarantine, wala na silang karapatang mag-resist ngayon,” DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV aired on GMA News TV.
(Those who will resist quarantine, they have no right to refuse now.)
“May karampatang sanctions po kapagka ganito (nag-resist). Meron tayong mga protocols,” Vergeire added.
(We have corresponding sanctions if they will resist. We have protocols.)
“Itong state of public health emergency would give the government more authority with regards to this procedure,” she said.
Quarantine under state of public health emergency
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said the department has recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte the declaration of public health emergency as it raised Code Red Sub-Level 1 alert, Saturday.
President Rodrigo Duterte has already signed an executive order declaring a public health emergency over the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Monday.
Panelo said the executive order would allow the government to prices of essential commodities as well as the purchase of medical equipment without the required bidding process.
Malacañang, on Sunday, also said school heads should decide whether to declare the class suspension during the state of a public health emergency.
As of today, the Department of Health confirmed 10 COVID-19 cases in the country, including a resident of Quezon City, its mayor said Monday.