Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases
Philippine government task force for emerging infectious disease response.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) was an inactive task force organized by the executive of the government of the Philippines to respond to affairs concerning emerging infectious diseases in the country. It convened in January 2020 to address the growing viral outbreak in Wuhan, China, and became the policy-making body for the COVID-19 response.
Quick Facts
- Formed
- 26 May 2014 (official creation); 9 March 2020 (activated for COVID-19 pandemic)
- Dissolved
- 22 July 2023 (inactive; suspended operations)
- Jurisdiction
- Philippines
Facts from the source article.
Mandate
The IATF-EID was an inter-sectoral collaboration to establish preparedness and ensure efficient government response to assess, monitor, contain, control, and prevent the spread of any potential epidemic in the Philippines. In January 2020, it convened to address the viral outbreak in Wuhan, China, and made a resolution to manage the spreading of the new virus, then known as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and later renamed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19. On March 9, 2020, President Duterte called the IATF-EID amidst rising COVID-19 cases after declaring a state of public health emergency. On March 25, 2020, the IATF-EID revealed a National Action Plan (NAP) to slow the spread of COVID-19, designed to decentralize the management system. It also created the National Task Force Against COVID-19, headed by Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, which handled operational command, while the IATF-EID became the policy-making body and the National Incident Command administered daily concerns. The Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield (JTF-CV Shield) enforced quarantine protocols at border checkpoints and streets, composed of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Barangay tanods. Regional Inter-Agency Task Forces and Local Inter-Agency Task Forces were organized to respond to localized issues, chaired by local chief executives and Barangay Captains or Chairmen. The task force was deactivated following the withdrawal of the State of Public Health Emergency on COVID-19 on July 22, 2023.
Legal actions
In 2022, Jose Montemayor Jr., Nicanor Perlas III, and the Passengers and Riders Organization (Pasahero) Inc. separately filed petitions questioning the constitutionality of IATF-EID resolutions and directives from government agencies and local government units, particularly Makati, arguing violations of right to life and liberty without due process, hindrance to right to travel, and discrimination against the unvaccinated. On July 11, 2023, the Supreme Court en banc unanimously dismissed these consolidated petitions, upholding the constitutionality of the regulations.
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