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Thursday, March 4, 2021

IATF approves uniform protocols on local travel

‘No more Covid tests unless LGU requires it’

THE NATIONAL task force on Covid-19 has eased travel restrictions, including documentary requirements for travellers across the country.

A passenger plane of the Cebu Pacific Air lands at the Zamboanga International Airport.The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases has passed  Resolution No. 101 easing up travel restrictions across the country. (Zamboanga Post)

The uniform travel protocols was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) and under Resolution No. 101 the travel authority from and medical certificate are no longer required for land, air and sea travel.

The new travel protocols were crafted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, the League of Provinces of the Philippines, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and the League of Cities of the Philippines.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the new protocols are applicable to all local governments. He said all local governments must o comply with the new IATF-MEID regulations.

Malaya said Covid-19 testing shall not be mandatory for domestic travellers, except if the local government will require testing as a requirement prior to travel. “If the LGU of destination requires a test, it shall only require a Reverse-Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction or RT-PCR test and no other. Meaning, LGUs cannot require Antigen tests or rapid tests as test requirements prior to travel,” he said.

He advised all travellers to check with the local government of their destination before travelling to ensure a smooth trip.

Malaya also said that under the new protocols, no traveller shall be required to undergo facility-based quarantine unless they exhibit symptoms upon arrival at their destination. “Therefore, the health assessment of passengers or travellers supervised by medical professionals shall be mandatory upon entry in the port or terminal and exit at point of destination,” he said.

He said that all local governments 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 local government to another.

Malaya emphasized that with the travel regulations harmonized, the strict implementation of health protocols remain the same - wearing of face mask, face shield and physical distancing, including frequent hand washing – to ensure safety at all times against the deadly respiratory virus.

He said Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) from national government agencies shall provide their identification card, travel order, and travel itinerary, and must pass symptom-screening at ports of entry and exit. “Pero kahit lumuwag ang travel protocols, paalala po sa travellers na pinapatupad pa rin ang minimum public health standards. Maging disiplinado pa rin po sa pagsunod sa physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette at pagsuot ng face masks at face shields. Disiplina muna para sa ligtas na biyahe,” he said.

For ports and terminals, all must have assigned sufficient quarantine facilities, according to Malaya, adding, a referral system must be in place wherein travellers who become symptomatic shall be transferred to quarantine or isolation facilities to enable the Bureau of Quarantine for airports, or local government to take over.

S-PASS

With the new developments, Malaya said the Safe, Swift, and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) Travel Management System, of the Department of Science and Technology shall be institutionalized as the one-stop-shop application or communication for travellers. “To complement the S-PaSS, we are also encouraging the public to install the mobile application StaySafe.ph. It shall be utilized as the primary contact tracing system,” he said.

“The work of contact tracers of the DILG field offices and LGUs is complemented by technology. I urge travellers and the public, in general, to use the StaySafe.ph app in their mobile phones as our way of contributing to beating COVID-19 so we may smoothly transition to a safe new normal,” he added.

Vice President Leni Robredo has criticized the IATF-MEID’s decision harmonizing travel requirement across all the country, saying it could trigger the spike in Covid-19 cases.

Malaya said that they needed to streamline local regulations for domestic travel as well as 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 that quarantine restrictions put in place since March 2020 has caused a total 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.

“We needed to streamline because we need to revive our economy and address the hunger, loss of jobs and economic opportunities that came as a result of the travel restrictions,” Malaya insisted, noting that 30% of the public still cannot go to work and 50% of the people cannot take public transport. “People need to be able to commute to go to work or to earn a living,” he said. 

Malaya said that the domestic airline industry has also asked the DILG to address this issue since the local air carriers have accumulated a P47.4 billion net income loss as of September of last year alone.

“Despite the reopening of major regional airports, the domestic airline industry has seen a slump in domestic passengers and domestic cargo carried due to fragmented LGU regulations compared to our ASEAN neighbors where Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand have already revived their domestic travel industry to 2019 levels. If other countries can do it, why can’t we?” he asked. 

Zambo Maintains Covid Test 

Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco also signed Executive Order BC-626 2021 which states that for inbound air, ferry and land passengers who are merely passing through Zamboanga to Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi - the following documentation are needed: Endorsement letter from focal person of Ministry of the Interior and Local Government of the Muslim autonomous region to the Zamboanga City Tourism Office, RT-PCR negative test result within 5 days from swabbing, and that the end destination local government must receive their constituents at the entry points or border.

And for Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte, the following requirements are also needed: RT-PCR negative test result within 5 days from swabbing, and that the end destination local government must receive their constituents at the entry points or border.

The order also said that for outbound air, ferry and land passengers en route to the airport, they need to present their “confirmed flight ticket.” And for frequent and business travellers, only “frequent travellers pass” shall be required for business owners, or their duly authorized representatives who engage in small, medium and large business enterprise in Zamboanga City. They are also required to undergo RT-PCR test once a month and present the result to the Zamboanga City through the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

And for inbound frequent traveller, they need to surrender at least 1 valid government-issued ID at the entry point, and only allowed to stay in Zamboanga City for 3 days and must undergo RT-PCR test if they want to extend their stay. But for outbound frequent traveller, they are allowed 3 days to travel outside Zamboanga City for emergency purpose, business transaction or for any other essential purpose. Should their travel go beyond the 3-day period, they will have to undergo RT-PCR test. 

It said that travellers with incomplete documents shall not be allowed entry into Zamboanga City. And those caught illegally entering Zamboanga City shall be fined P5,000 and shall be immediately quarantined pending RT-PCR test all at their own expense. 

While travellers with falsified documents shall also be fined P5,000 and shall be immediately quarantined pending RT-PCR test all at their own expense. And those aiding in the entry of any persons with incomplete requirements shall be fined P5,000 for every individual smuggled into Zamboanga City, and the revocation of business permit if they are engaged in the trade or business in Zamboanga City, among others. (Zamboanga Post)

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