Following the detection of the FLiRT variant of COVID-19 in the Philippines, Senator Win Gatchalian reiterated the need to create the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Department of Health (DOH).

Gatchalian is one of the co-authors of the “Philippine Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) Act (Senate Bill No. 1869),” which seeks to create the CDC. Under the proposed measure, the CDC shall serve as the technical authority on forecasting, analysis, strategy, and standards development to prevent and control diseases and health security events.

Under the proposed measure, the CDC will have the following functions: the implementation of disease surveillance and field epidemiology activities, the establishment and strengthening of public health laboratories, the recommendation of actions for public health threats, and the building of local capacity for surveillance and health research, among others.

The CDC will be mandated to set the standards for surveillance at the country’s ports of entry. It will also coordinate with the Bureau of Quarantine for operationalization and stakeholder management.

To support the Department of Health’s regional offices, the center shall have regional counterparts that will maintain technical capacity for epidemiology and surveillance, health statistics, laboratory, and research. Provinces, cities, and municipalities shall adopt and localize standards and guidelines developed by the CDC.

“Naging aral sa atin noong panahon ng pandemya kung gaano kahalaga na maging handa sa panahon ng mga krisis pang-kalusugan. Kaya naman patuloy nating isinusulong ang pagtatatag ng Center for Disease Control and Prevention upang mapaigting ang ating kahandaan na tumugon sa mga krisis tulad ng pandemya at iba pang mga sakuna,” said Gatchalian.