BAGUIO CITY, Sept. 21(PIA) - - The National Task Force COVID - 19 CODE (Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic) Team met with officials of the City Government of Baguio and the Cordillera Regional Task Force COVID - 19 to look into Coronavirus disease updates, response protocols and best practices that they can share to other local government units in the country.

The NTF CODE Team headed by Department of National Defense Secretary and NTF COVID - 19 chairperson Delfin Lorenzana were welcomed by the city officials headed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and RTF COVID - 19 members led by Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Chairperson and Civil Defense Regional Director Albert Mogol.

For the Regional Task Force reports, Department of Health (DOH - CAR) Regional Director Dr. Ruby Constantino provided COVID - 19 regional surveillance update while Mogol and OCD - CAR Policy Development and Planning Section Chief Ferdinand Tamulto provided an executive briefer on the RTF's COVID - 19 response actions.

For Baguio City, City Health officer Dr. Rowena Galpo provided Clinical Analytics on COVID - 19 cases in Baguio, City Planning and Development Coordinator Dr. Donna Tabangin presented Baguio's COVID - 19 Strategic Plan and City Tourism Officer Engr. Aloysius Mapalo gave a briefer on Baguio's Tourism Recovery Plan.

For the CODE Team, Secretary Vivencio "Vince" Dizon, the NTF against COVID - 19 Deputy Chief Implementer. gave an opening statement and introduction about the team; Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Marjorie Jalosjos presented the Operation LISTO Protocol for LGUs on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease with the PDITR (Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat and Reintegrate) strategy while Dr. Paz Corrales of DOH Central Office presented the Operational Framework of COVID - 19 Response in Workplaces.

The CODE Team also presented a video presentation on Navotas LGU's Good Practices and had an open forum with the meeting participants.

Lorenzana, in his message, outlined that they have been going around the country to look into how they can help and at the same time look into good practices that they can propagate to other places, so they can improve their Covid-19 infection control and management protocols.

Lorenzana also commended the Baguio residents and the city officials headed by Magalong for successfully handling of the COVID pandemic.

"Kayo rito ang ginagawa naming huwaran o model at ang parati naming sinasabi, if Baguio can do it others also can," he stressed.

He also approved of Baguio LGU's plan of slowly opening up the economy, "It is about time, little by little, as long as we put our hands together, for as long as we follow the health protocols such as wearing of face masks. Face shields, regular hand washing and sanitizing, avoid crowding and closed areas with many people, wala itong COVID na ito, this can be easily defeated", he said. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)