Davao City – Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has expressed support to the proposed unified QR code system for contact tracing in the Davao Region in a bid to curb COVID-19 infections as cases continue to rise in some parts of the country.
The local chief executive, during her ‘Special Hour’ program on Davao City Disaster Radio, said that it would be sustainable and realistic to implement unified travel screenings between local government units in the region to minimize the impact of possible coronavirus transmission through centralized Covid-19 response and contact tracing.
“This strategy is a more sustainable and realistic option in COVID-19 response as well as create a good opportunity to buy time to act on less than a thousand active cases inside the region and its speedy isolation and contact tracing”, Duterte said.
Duterte disclosed that the region-wide QR, which was initiated by Davao de Oro Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, also includes putting up its own operation center to expedite the exchange of contact tracing information between LGUs.
Duterte also added that the synergized platform would also mean less trouble, especially to workers traveling in and out of the city.
“Deleterious ang iyang exchange of goods and services and the people. Samok sya kaayo sa mga tao nga sulod ug gawas sa Davao City to other LGUs para magtrabaho ([The current respective local QR system] would obstruct the exchange of goods and services and the people. It troubles people, especially workers who are coming in and out Davao City for work),” Duterte said.
According to Duterte, one of the recommendations of the Department of Health (DOH) to prevent local transmission of the respiratory disease is the strict screening of travelers between borders.
“Mao to nga nag-agree ko nga mas maayo nga ang i-screen nato is kadtong mosulod diri sa atong region so that ma-screen nato ang new cases nga mosulod while we are working on the existing cases that is less than a thousand. We are working on nga mahuman na siya,” Duterte explained.
Currently, the Davao City government and its neighboring cities and municipalities are working in hand especially in the implementation of its respective local policies to ensure seamless movement of economic activities, particularly in the working and business sectors.
(City Information Office | Michael Manguhig, RPN DXKT Davao OIC)