By Lee Chipongian
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno is in self-quarantine after being in contact with a person infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a meeting with other government officials that included Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno
(KEVIN ESPIRITU / MANILA BULLETIN) Monetary Board members, in the meantime, have also confirmed that all their meetings will be held at the BSP’s Security Plant Complex (SPC) in Quezon City starting tomorrow, March 13, while the BSP is on lockdown. So far, none of the six Monetary Board members are under self-quarantine, other than Diokno. Diokno attended the NLEX meeting that was also participated in by Dominguez and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. Both cabinet officials have self-quarantined themselves after being exposed to the COVID-19 positive individual. Diokno said that he “thought it’s best to go on self-quarantine to be on the safe side.” He assures the public that he is in good medical condition. “I’m well. I’m perfectly well,” he said. Diokno said the Monetary Board will continue to do its duty as the BSP’s policy-making body. All meetings and operations will be done at the SPC compound. In a statement, the BSP said that work at the Central Bank’s headquarters in Malate, Manila, and at SPC is suspended today and on Friday. The SPC is where the BSP prints banknotes and refines gold and mints coins. The BSP said the suspension order is to “facilitate disinfection of BSP premises as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.” “The BSP, however, shall continue normal open market and PhilPass settlement operations as well as the servicing of cash withdrawals by banks at the SPC,” it added.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno(KEVIN ESPIRITU / MANILA BULLETIN) Monetary Board members, in the meantime, have also confirmed that all their meetings will be held at the BSP’s Security Plant Complex (SPC) in Quezon City starting tomorrow, March 13, while the BSP is on lockdown. So far, none of the six Monetary Board members are under self-quarantine, other than Diokno. Diokno attended the NLEX meeting that was also participated in by Dominguez and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. Both cabinet officials have self-quarantined themselves after being exposed to the COVID-19 positive individual. Diokno said that he “thought it’s best to go on self-quarantine to be on the safe side.” He assures the public that he is in good medical condition. “I’m well. I’m perfectly well,” he said. Diokno said the Monetary Board will continue to do its duty as the BSP’s policy-making body. All meetings and operations will be done at the SPC compound. In a statement, the BSP said that work at the Central Bank’s headquarters in Malate, Manila, and at SPC is suspended today and on Friday. The SPC is where the BSP prints banknotes and refines gold and mints coins. The BSP said the suspension order is to “facilitate disinfection of BSP premises as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.” “The BSP, however, shall continue normal open market and PhilPass settlement operations as well as the servicing of cash withdrawals by banks at the SPC,” it added.