PB to hold special session to meet Duque, IATF-EID team of experts

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Board will move the scheduled Monday session with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and his team of medical and technical experts to a special session on Tuesday, June 29.

Board member John Ismael “Jimbo” Borgonia said that Duque sent a letter on Thursday, June 24, addressed to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, informing the latter that he and his team could not be here on Monday, (June 28) since the Health Secretary, who is also the head of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), along with select members of his team, would be attending a meeting arranged by the Office of the President on the same day.

“The select IATF-EID and the DOH members, World Health Organization representatives, and Medical/Technical Experts would be more than willing to assist the Provincial Government of Cebu and continue the dialogue by rescheduling the meeting to Tuesday, June 29, 2021” part of the letter read.

In her reply, Garcia informed the Health Secretary that the PB has scheduled a special session on Tuesday at the Capitol to accommodate them, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) representatives and select members of the IATF-EID.

Duque and his team were invited to present their data before the local lawmakers to have a better understanding of their analysis and comments on border control measures implemented in the province.

“Again, I hope that this meeting will help us reach a common ground to find a win-win solution on the health protocols being implemented in the Province of Cebu,” read part of the governor’s reply.

Borgonia said the Provincial Board will still hold a regular session on Monday, June 28.