Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri has expressed concern over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Northern Mindanao, and is calling on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for their help in controlling the situation.

“As a resident of Northern Mindanao, I am very alarmed by the recent surge of COVID-19 cases across the region,” said Zubiri.

“Two weeks ago, our regional IATF already reported a 300 percent rise in cases in Lanao del Norte. And this weekend, CDO reported that their numbers have risen to 962, from just 100-plus in March. In Bukidnon, our medical frontliners are struggling to deal with the sudden surge of COVID-19 patients.

“Our hospitals are already filling up. I know that Bukidnon Provincial Medical Hospital (BPMH) is full, along with some of our private hospitals. And Northern Mindanao Medical Center has already raised its status to Code Red, with 50 percent of their operating capacity taken up by COVID cases.

“I am appealing to the IATF to impose stricter measures in Northern Mindanao to control the rise of cases, and to instruct the regional IATF to enforce these measures now before the outbreak gets worse.

“The region might benefit from a change in our quarantine classification, as well as localized lockdowns in areas with particularly alarming surges. We might also need to reinstitute the negative COVID-19 test requirement for inbound travellers. I hope the IATF can assess the situation and enforce the necessary measures as quickly as possible. We must act now before it gets out of hand.”