MANILA – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Roy Cimatu has been sent in Cebu City by President Rodrigo Duterte to oversee the implementation of measures against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) there.
In an address to the public on Monday evening, President Duterte tasked the Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 to assist Cimatu.
“Kayong mga taga-Cebu, it’s not that I do not trust your capability but rather it’s the penchant to go into a sort of a sisihan tapos nobody would answer for anything,” Duterte said.
“I need a person in Cebu to give him a picture of what is happening there,” the President further said. “I’m sure Sec. Cimatu can look as long as he has the support and assistance of the Cebu officials, both national and local.”
Cimatu, in the same public address, has accepted the new role given to him by the Chief Executive after he was previously appointed to spearhead the cleanup of Boracay Island.
“I fully accept your challenge you gave. Just like the orders you gave to me before, to Boracay, we changed the cesspool image of Boracay to what it is now,” Cimatu told Duterte.
President Duterte has reverted Cebu City to enhanced community quarantine until June 30 due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and widespread community transmission in the metropolis.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified in a virtual press conference on Tuesday that Cimatu will serve as President Duterte’s representative in Cebu City.
“He is there as the representative of the President. The President continues to have supervisory powers over local government officials,” Roque said on Cimatu. “Hopefully, the assignment will be short as possible.”/PN
