Government website focusing on COVID-19 launched

Snipped image of the COVID-19 website. 

I am fond of multi-tasking. While I am editing a document on my laptop this morning, I checked my Facebook account to find out what is the latest. My news feed showed the livestreaming of #LagingHanda of PTV4 brought by Department of Health. The show is hosted by PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar and Undersecretary Raquel Ignacio. The focus of the program is to bring updated and detailed information about coronavirus disease or COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the archipelago, making Luzon and provinces of Visayas and Mindanao to be placed under community quarantine.

That time, the hosts were interviewing Asec. Ramon Cualoping III about the newly- launched website dedicated to cater updates about the deadly virus. The official said that the people can get updated information from covid19.gov.ph. He mentioned that the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) did this to provide accurate facts and to eliminate fake news that instill fear among people. 

I visited the website immediately and I can say is the website is easy to use. In the home page, the hotlines of where to ask for help regarding with the pandemic are bantered well. It has tracker of the number of COVID- 19 cases in the country, number of recoveries, and number of deaths. It has also a map displaying the places with recorded cases. Hoping that the numbers will not increase. 

I commend PCOO on launching of the virtual portal. Nowadays, all of us are looking for the latest information on TV, radio, and mostly on social media and online platforms. This initiative of the agency will help us filter hoax news like what I just learned. There is a message circulating on Facebook telling that there are special military helicopters which will spray pesticides against coronavirus. In the #LagingHanda program, it was quashed by the uniformed personnel. It is necessary to have an urgent way to address fake information. With the launching of the site and programs of PCOO, the proliferation of wrong information will be stopped.