The Department of Health (DOH), and other government agencies, signed a policy Monday providing guidance on the use and creation of healthy public open spaces amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the ceremonial signing of the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) for Healthy Open Spaces, DOH Health Promotion Bureau officer-in-charge director Rodley Desmond Daniel Carza said the policy specifically aims to provide guidance on the risk-based opening of public open spaces, and provide standards for their creation in order to promote physical and mental health and well-being for Filipinos.
The JAO was inked by representatives from the DOH, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Commission on Women, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Carza added that healthy public open spaces should be open and accessible to all; are child, elderly, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and pet-friendly; are safe space for all genders; are smoke, vape, alcohol, and drug-free; are promotive of handwashing and sanitation, are eco-friendly, sustainable, and non-polluting; are climate and disaster-resilient; are promotive of local culture, arts, and heritage; and should be well-staffed, managed, and maintained.
The DOH meanwhile report that the Philippines logged 1,891 additional COVID-19 cases in the past week. From Jan. 16 to 22 , an average of 270 daily infections were recorded in the country, which is 35 percent lower compared to the previous week.
Of the new infections during the week, 4 cases or 0.23 percent were severe and critical, according to the DOH’s latest bulletin. Of the new infections during the week, 4 cases or 0.23 percent were severe and critical, according to the DOH’s latest bulletin.
As of Sunday, 432 or 9.4 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the agency said.
At least 370 or 16.1 percent of intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients were occupied. The non-ICU bed utilization rate was at 19.1 percent.
During the past week, the DOH has also verified 104 more COVID-related fatalities, citing late encoding of death information.
The deaths occurred in the following months:
– 9 occurred in January 2023
– 1 in December 2022
– 1 in November 2022
– 8 in February 2022
– 7 in January 2022
– 13 in October 2021
– 9 in September 2021
– 12 in August 2021
– 7 in July 2021
– 7 in June 2021
– 3 in May 2021
– 12 in April 2021
– 4 in March 2021
– 1 in February 2021
– 3 in January 2021
– 1 in December 2020
– 1 in October 2020
– 2 in September 2020
– 2 in August 2020
– 1 in May 2020
As of Jan. 22, the Philippines has 10,587 active COVID-19 cases.
Since the pandemic, the country has reported over 4 million coronavirus infections, of which some 65,000 led to death.
Latest DOH data also showed that around 73.8 million Filipinos were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Of the figure, some 21.2 million have received first boosters while more than 3.8 million have gotten second boosters.
