BAGUIO CITY, June 19 (PIA) - - Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council(CRDRRMC) Chairperson and Office of Civel Defense - Cordillera Regional Director Albert Mogol reiterated the need to put more emphasis on the prevention measures against COVID - 19 with the spike in positive cases in the region the past few days.

Department of Health - CAR, in the CRDRRMC and Regional Task Force COVID - 19 joint coordination meeting via video teleconferencing Wednesday (June 17), reported that there are already 101 confirmed cases in the region including 44 new cases recorded from June 10 - 16.

Most of the cases involved returning locally stranded individuals (LSIs), Overseas Filipino Workers, health care workers, uniformed personnel, LGU frontliners and vegetable truckers. The expanded risk- based testing prioritizing frontliners and other vulnerable sector may have contributed to the increase in cases, DOH - CAR noted.

Mogol stressed that the old adage, "Prevention is better than cure", is still the best and pro - active approach against the COVID pandemic.

"I think we have to go back to the basics and that is prevention. Over the past months, we have been very successful in preventing the spread of the virus in the region but we cannot control the migration. Hindi naman natin pwedeng pigilan ang pag-uwi ng ating mga locally stranded individuals and returning overseas Filipinos. This is a reality, we cannot control the return of people in the Cordillera and more will still come," Mogol said.

Reiterating the RTF COVID - 19's strategy of "prevent, detect, isolate and quarantine, treat and recover," Mogol put forward looking into intensifying safety protocols especially on border control wherein safety of frontliners manning the check points, triage area and isolation facilities should be taken into consideration.

"We have to look and review, adjust if needed, to ensure that we can better prevent and control the spread of the virus," he stressed.

Mogol also called for a continuing partnership among CRDRRMC member agencies and the Regional Task Force in pushing for collective efforts in the fight against COVID and in supporting the LGUs in preventing the spread of the Corona virus in their respective communities.

"With our 4Ps (Predict, Plan, Prepare and Perform) and our 4S (System, Synergy, Synchronize and Sustain), we are confident that we can make it."

"Ituloy lang po natin ang ating collaboration at palakasin pa natin ang ating cooperation among member agencies and let us continue supporting our LGUs because they are our backbone. Sila ang nagpapatupad ng lahat ng policies at sila rin ang apektado."

Aside from the response actions on the COVID pandemic, Mogol also reminded the CRDRRMC member agencies to also include in their planning the preventive and preparedness measures for hydromet hazards as PAGASA already declared rainy season. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)