Cebu City dad pushes for EOC institutionalization

Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera. | file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera is pushing for the institutionalization of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) through a proposed ordinance.

In a privilege speech during a regular session on Wednesday, July 14, 2021, Garganera said it is necessary to institutionalize the EOC not only for the COVID-19 pandemic but also for future emergencies.

The EOC currently depends on the budget from other offices, including the Office of the Mayor, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRMO), and City Health Department (CHD), just to fund swab teams, contact tracing teams, and extraction teams

“From swabbing kits, transportation vehicles, PPE’s, food provisions, and even our isolation facility needs. Even to this day, the honorariums of our contact tracers and swabbers have been delayed for months despite being exposed to the risks and hazards brought by this pandemic,” said Garganera.

The councilor added that that EOC has been essential in controlling the pandemic in the city and will continue to play an important role while the pandemic is projected to continue until the next year.

“Moreover, our personnel at the EOC are performing EOC duties on top of their regular duties for they believe in what they do, and what EOC can do for our City,” he added.

With this, he proposed an ordinance that would create the EOC as a separate office in the city government complete with funds, organization, and staff. Councilors Philip Zafra and Alvin Dizon co-authored the proposed ordinance.

Under the proposed ordinance, the EOC is identified as the agency which handles the response for epidemics, pandemic, and other public health emergencies.

It also stipulates the departments that will be closely working with the agency including the CHD, the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), CDRRMO, among others.

The EOC would also get its own budget through the ordinance, allowing the agency to have its own funds for expenses.

Garganera hopes his fellow council members will find the urgency to pass the ordinance to support the EOC that has been working overtime to ensure the city will survive another surge of cases as the region experiences a third wave.

“Therefore, I ask from this August Body some due consideration that this Ordinance be given priority so that the EOC may continue to assist this city and be institutionalized as an independent and permanent body. For public health is certainly a matter of right– and must never depend on whoever is in position,” said the councilor.

/bmjo

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