The Department of the Interior and Local Government defended the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) removing the Philippine National Police travel authority and the medical certificate from the local government unit health office and other protocols as requirement for land, air, and sea travel in the country.
Usec. Jonathan Malaya said the IATF-MEID Resolution 101 providing for streamlined protocols across all LGUs was crafted by the DILG in coordination with the PNP, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, League of Provinces of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and the League of Cities of the Philippines.
“First, we wish to clarify that the PCR test was never a requirement by the national government. It was some LGUs that required it. Now, under the new protocols, the PCR test may still be required by the LGU of destination. Therefore, travelers just need to check with their LGU if it’s required. But please take note that LGUs can only require the RT-PCR test and cannot require the antigen or rapid tests as requirement for travel,” he said.
As to the quarantine requirement, Malaya said they consulted with the health professionals and they recommended that no traveler shall be required to undergo facility-based quarantine unless they exhibit symptoms upon arrival at the LGU of destination.
He said all LGUs, regardless if they require PCR tests or not, shall conduct clinical and exposure assessment at all points of entry and exit to ensure that only asymptomatic, non-close contact individuals are allowed to travel or move from one LGU to another.
Vice President Leni Robredo earlier criticized the IATF’s decision harmonizing travel requirement across all LGUs because it could trigger the spike in Covid-19 cases.
Malaya said with the travel regulations harmonized, minimum public health standards which include physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and wearing of face masks and face shields, among others, shall be strictly implemented by the PNP and local authorities.
Authorized Persons Outside of Residence from national government agencies and attached agencies shall provide their identification card, travel order, and travel itinerary, and must pass symptom-screening at ports of entry and exit pursuant to IATF Resolution 98-A issued on Feb. 4.
“Pero kahit lumuwag ang travel protocols, paalala po sa travelers na pinapatupad pa rin ang minimum public health standards. Maging disiplinado pa rin po at sumunod sa physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette at pagsuot ng face masks at face shields. Disiplina muna para sa ligtas na biyahe,” he said.
Malaya said safeguards are in place to contain the spread of the Covid-19. For ports and terminals, for example, all must have assigned sufficient quarantine facilities. A referral system must be in place wherein travelers who become symptomatic shall be transferred to quarantine or isolation facilities to enable the Bureau of Quarantine for airports, or local health officials in case of LGUs, to take over.
For the National Capital Region, all buses bound for provinces shall be required to use the Integrated Terminal Exchange as the central hub for transportation. No bus company or public transport shall be allowed to use their private terminals.
LGUs, at their option, may provide transportation for all travelers who are transiting from one LGU to another in cases of arrivals at air and seaports to their end-point destinations.
He said the DILG saw the need to remove redundancy in domestic tourist travel requirements and impose less stringent requirements by managing the health risks through other means.
Malaya said they needed to streamline local regulations for domestic travel and recommend best options to encourage domestic travel for leisure to revive the heavily-hit travel and tourism sector and related industries while managing the risks of Covid-19 transmission.
Citing figures from the National Economic Development Authority, he said quarantine restrictions put in place since March 2020 has caused an income loss of P1.04 trillion that year.
On average, that translated to P2.8 billion in salaries lost or an annual income loss of P23,000 per worker.
Malaya said the domestic airline industry has also asked the DILG to address this issue since local air carriers have accumulated a P47.4B income loss as of September last year. – DILG release
April 19, 2024
