ILIGAN City ― The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) is now moving to institutionalize the Laging Handa program to ensure coordinated communications efforts during calamities and emergencies.
This was announced by PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar during the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) Meeting in Iligan City yesterday.
Laging Handa, which embraces the “whole-of-nation approach” of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, was launched by PCOO earlier this year to address public concerns in the wake of soaring cases of Covid-19 n the country.
“Laging Handa program has effectively reached Filipinos who are in remote areas around the country when other traditional news and information operations have been halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Andanar said.
Noting that an ‘involved public is an informed public,’ the Communications Secretary cited Laging Handa as one of the vital mechanisms to keep the public informed of the government’s approach, responses, actions, and programs in mitigating the impacts of Covid-19.
“Other efforts, programs, and mechanisms that we utilize and maximize to amplify the government’s responses are leading forward virtual town hall meeting, Laging Handa Public Briefing, Alerto: A Covid Special, Covid-19 Radio, Laging Handa Network Briefing News, Cabinet Report, Laging Handa Covid-19 website, Balita Central Digital Tabloids, and dismiss disinformation,” he said.
Andanar further said that information drives to relay the government’s minimum health standards and other vital information that will minimize the transmission of Covid-19 are also being undertaken.
“As part of our tasks as a Cabinet official, we have been very engaged on-the-ground and grassroots levels in our respective region and provinces both as Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) and as Cabinet official tapped by Covid Task Force to share the best practices against Covid-19 and to provide stronger support to the local government units in terms of strict monitoring of health system performance, critical care capacity, and stringent compliance in surveillance, isolation, and treatment protocols,” he added.
Andanar is also the designated CORDS for the Northern Mindanao region. (PIA-10)
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