OPAV, IATF recommends EOC setup in Northern Samar to manage COVID-19 response

CEBU CITY -- The Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) recommended the setting up of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Northern Samar to better manage the COVID-19 crisis in the Eastern Visayas province in a virtual meeting with Northern Samar provincial officials to assess the COVID situation there and find solutions to contain the spread of the virus in the area.

The EOC concept aims to harmonize data, testing and contact tracing efforts through a centralized data management system in efforts to detect, isolate, treat and stop transmission of COVID-19.  This government-led center has proved to have brought down cases in the cities of Cebu and Bacolod.

IATF Visayas Chief Implementer retired Maj. General Melquiades Feliciano and OPAV representative Joel Aba led the meeting that was attended by officials from Provincial Health Office of Northern Samar, City Health Office of Catarman, and Provincial and City Risk Reduction Management Offices.

With the reported rise in cases in the province, Feliciano presented the organizational structure of an EOC that he first set up in Cebu City when he was sent by the national government to help manage the crisis.

Feliciano explained that the EOC serves as a centralized hub that should have both Data Collection Management and Analysis Group, and the Education, Information and Training Group to make it efficient.   He emphasized the important role of barangay officials in curbing the COVID-19 problem.

Feliciano advised Northern Samar health officials to do a daily huddle at the COVID command center to be able to keep them abreast with the latest data on infection and recovery rates to enable them to fight the virus head on.

Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, chief pathologist at the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas, assessed the laboratory practices and operations in Northern Samar and she lauded the speed of the release of results in the province which is 24 hours on the average.

Loreche hoped that there will be an increase in the testing capacity of the province to be able to fully utilize their resources and manpower.

Norther Samar governor Edwin Ongchuan said that Feliciano’s presentation of the EOC as COVID-19 crisis management best practice “is already a big help to them.”

Ongchuan thanked Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, Gen. Feliciano and Dr. Loreche for their efforts to help the province’s COVID response program.  He also recognized OPAV’s efforts in extending its concern and assistance to their province.

“The efforts Gen. Feliciano with the help of OPAV to bring this EOC concept have really helped the key areas in the Visayas,” Dino said.

Dino cited Bacolod City, where COVID cases are now manageable after the local government and health officials successfully implemented the EOC formula in the city.   He added that the OPAV, which serves as the bridge of Malacañang to the Visayas, will provide logistics support for the province if they decide to send their representatives to Cebu to undergo the actual EOC training.

After spending over a month in Bacolod City, Feliciano with his wife Mia Fe also flew to Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur with the same goal of bringing the Cebu EOC concept.