CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is offering the use of its facilities as quarantine sites for persons under monitoring (PUMs) as their share in the combat against the 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV).
DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista, however, clarified that these facilities must first pass the standards set by the Department of Health (DOH).
Bautista, who is in Cebu for the 69th-anniversary celebration of DSWD-7, said that as of the moment, the DOH has not approved yet any of their facilities as quarantine site.
“Sa side ng DSWD we volunteered our centers as a quarantine area, if in case kailangan. Pero may condition kami dun na dapat yung centers namin it should pass the standard of the DOH in terms of quarantine kasi hindi lang ordinaryo na kwarto yan or ordinary structure, kalaingan talagang insolated yan from any infection of the nCoV,” Bautista said.
Aside from this, social workers who are manning these facilities will also be trained in handling PUMs.
Bautista also revealed that the agency is also preparing a team that will handle psychosocial interventions and stress debriefing to Filipino returnees who will be subjected to a 14-day quarantine.
“I issued a memorandum asking for volunteers from the DSWD na mayroong background doon, sa skill na yun and I think meron na segurong four or five na nag-volunteers,” he added.
He said the personnel will also undergo training and will be given proper personal protective gear before handling PUMs for psychosocial interventions and stress debriefing. /rcg