GenSan boosts coastal defense vs. Delta variant

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The city government has created a special task force to strengthen its coastal protection measures in the wake of the threats posed by the spread of the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Delta variant.
 
Mayor Ronnel Rivera said on Thursday the move is to properly secure the city’s coastal barangays from the possible entry of the more contagious variant from nearby islands of Indonesia.
 
Dubbed “Task Force Bantay Dalampasigan,” Rivera said it will be formally launched in Barangay Calumpang on Friday in coordination with their partners and concerned stakeholders.
 
The creation of the task force was based on Executive Order (EO) No. 32 signed by Rivera on July 30 and released to the media on Thursday.
 
Rivera said it is in response to the national government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the Delta variant from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia that are currently reeling from a surge of cases.
 
“There is a need for a solid strategy to prevent the said variant from entering the city,” EO said.
 
Under EO 32, the task force is tasked to lead the intensified maritime security, shoreline patrol, and visibility in the city’s coastal areas.
 
It will monitor and control the entry of vessels to prevent the movement of people from neighboring countries that have a high incidence of the Covid-19 Delta variant.
 
Maritime units will monitor the operations of fishing and motor launch vessels from the city and determine if they docked in ports of countries affected by the variant.
 
They are also tasked to pre-empt the entry of illegal drugs, smuggled goods, and terrorist groups, including those transporting improvised explosives.
 
“Basically, what we are doing is consolidating all the offices and government agencies tasked with monitoring our coastal areas. We are setting a mechanism to have lateral interaction so that we can incorporate the prevention measures against the Delta variant,” Rivera said in a statement.
 
Rivera will act as the task force commander and city police director, Col. Gilberto Tuzon, as the deputy.
 
Its members are from the Army-led Joint Task Force GenSan, Philippine National Police-Maritime Unit 12, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-12, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Agriculture Office, Liga ng mga Barangay, Philippine Ports Authority, and barangay councils of Buayan, Bula, Dadiangas South, Dadiangas West, Labangal, Calumpang, Siguel, and Tambler.
 
They are divided into four smaller sub-groups composed of the task group on intelligence, task group on operations, task group on investigation and legal offensive, and the task group on logistics support.
 
Tuzon said they are ready to play a bigger role through the task force in the Covid-19 operations of the city.
 
The city police office is tasked to expand and heighten police visibility in the shorelines of the city, and arrest and file appropriate charges against possible unauthorized movements or breaches.
 
“The PNP has always been there to support the local government unit, especially now that we have a new threat with the Delta variant,” Tuzon said. (PNA) 
 
 

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https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149451
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