BACOLOD City – This city was chosen as a case study site for a project aimed at capacitating local government units (LGUs) in curbing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission and coping with the new normal.
Bacolod joins the cities of Muntinlupa, Baguio and Iligan selected by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for the collaborative project “Planning for Greater Resiliency, Addressing Pandemics/ Biohazards and Public Health Emergencies and Its Impacts to Most At-Risk Populations.”
“We are grateful for this rare chance to tap the expertise of these people in the handling of public health emergencies,” said Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
“I am sure that whatever we will learn from them will greatly help us fight COVID more effectively,” he added.
Specifically, the project aims to review existing local government unit (LGU)-related planning policies and procedures in view of assessing their relevance and effectiveness in preparing for and responding to Public Health Emergencies (PHE).
It also aims to recommend an LGU planning framework that integrates PHE with measures in reducing vulnerability and mitigating risks of health pandemics against the vulnerable and affected groups.
The Planning and Development Research Foundation Inc. will support the undertaking by conducting case studies on selected LGUs to provide in-depth scoping of LGU experiences, sector resources, capacity issues, and innovations within the purview of expected LGU roles set out by national policies for COVID-19 response and management./PN
