“The situation in Cagayan requires unhampered disaster response and recovery operations by rescue and relief organizations. Año said he directed the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to also exercise its discretion in lifting restrictions. Likewise, media workers and rescue personnel are advised to observe minimum health rules such as the use of face masks and face shields. In a tweet on Friday, veteran photojournalist Ezra Acayan said field media workers could not enter Cagayan because of the strict quarantine measures being imposed by the provincial government. ADVERTISEMENTMore than 3,000 personnel from the Philippine National Police as well as the Bureau of Fire Protection were deployed to Cagayan and Isabela for search and rescue operations, DILG said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 14, 2020 10:18 UTC