44 2020 Annual Report on the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines connection, and lack of livelihood opportunities. Local government agencies should fasttrack the construction of housing units to ensure that all qualified IDPs are transferred to permanent shelters as soon as possible, in accordance with the humanitarian standards on transfer and resettlement. Provision of access to basic services in said housing units shall be prioritized. 188 189 139 The responsibilities of the IASC include: making strategic and policy decisions with systemwide implications; endorsing major operational decisions; arbitration where no consensus can be reached by other IASC structures; advocating common principles, collectively or individually on behalf of the IASC; approving the work plans of the IASC structures; bringing issues to the attention of the Secretary-General and Security Council through the ERC; and, designating Humanitarian Coordinators and selecting coordination arrangements. 140 In its advisory, the CHR recognizes the Interim Guidance issued by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) as regards the COVID-19 readiness and response operations in humanitarian situations, which points out that IDPs, host communities, asylum seekers, refugees and returnees, and migrants, are frequently neglected and often encounter difficulties in terms of gaining access from health services that are readily available to the general population. Individual health screening and continuous access to essential health care services should be granted to all IDPs, particularly to those suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19. When possible, testing must be readily available, with testing facilities located near IDP sites, for rapid diagnosis and immediate isolation.190 Rights of Older Persons During the COVID-19 Pandemic 141 The CHR, in its Advisory on the Human Rights of Older Filipinos amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic, recognizes the following facts and risks faced by older persons during this pandemic. 142 The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified older persons (or those 60 years old and above) as among the sectors who appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the novel coronavirus. Current analysis based on statistics from around the world shows that mortality rates are highest at about 15% in infected persons over 80 years old, whereas it is less than 0.5% in people below 50 years. In the Philippines, the analysis by the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI) as of 26 March 2020 shows that COVID-19 positive cases are disproportionately higher in the older ages of 50 and over. It further shows that of the recorded deaths as of the writing of the report, an overwhelming majority (89%) are in the age group of 55 years old and over. The data and trends, however, are rapidly evolving as the infection spreads in more countries and as testing capacities in most countries increases.191 143 However, the prevalence of diagnosed illnesses is relatively high – hypertension has the highest prevalence at 46%, and diabetes, angina or myocardial infarction, and renal or 188 CHR Region X IDP Protection Monitoring: Monitoring on COVID 19 Iligan City and Marawi City – Lanao del Sur and For the Month of December 2020 189 CHR Region X IDP Protection Monitoring: Monitoring on COVID 19 Iligan City and Marawi City – Lanao del Sur and For the Month of December 2020 190 Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights Standards on the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) during the COVID-19 Emergency, CHR (V) A2020-004, available at http://chr.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ CHR-Advisory_Human-Rights-Standards-on-the-Protection-of-Internally-Displaced-Persons-IDPs-During-theCOVID-19-Emergency-CHR-V-A2020-004.pdf, accessed 24 September 2020. 191 See CHR (V) A2020-007.