LEGAZPI CITY: The Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol has placed all government hospitals in the region under ‘code white alert’ or ‘on-call’ mode for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Under such status, medical personnel are instructed to be ready for immediate mobilization in case of an emergency.
“The white alert will be effective from Dec. 20 to Jan. 4,” DOH-Bicol Regional Director Ernie Vera said in a memorandum issued on Wednesday.
“DOH hospitals, provincial DOH officers, Health Emergency Management Staff (HEMS) point persons and coordinators are enjoined to be vigilant and send flash reports of any untoward incident,” he said.
Likewise, “operation centers will be on 24-hour operations and will do active monitoring of all health emergencies in the region and coordinate with other key agencies responding to this kind of situation,” Vera added in a message to the media on Thursday.
The DOH also reminded the public about the dangers of firecrackers and advised against its use during the holiday
season.
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office-Bicol (PRO5) is on full alert status to ensure a peaceful Yuletide celebration.
Deployment of personnel is focused on community firecracker zones, assistance hubs, places of worship, commercial centers, road safety points, seaports, train stations and airports.
Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said the ‘Ligtas Paskuhan’ campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol is being implemented by increasing police visibility and conducting preventive patrol operations.
“This is to ensure the safety of the public, particularly those attending the nine-day ‘Simbang Gabi’ during the festive season. PRO5 assures the public that public safety remains their top priority,” she said in a statement.
Source: Philippines News Agency