MAYOR BENG Climaco has asked the Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to include both government and private APORs to undergo mandatory RT-PCR testing before they are allowed entry to Zamboanga City.
APOR refers to Authorized Persons Outside Residence which was excluded by IATF-MEID from the mandatory RT-PCR testing when it relaxed the community quarantine guidelines and issued a uniformed travel protocols.
Climaco, who heads the local Covid-19 task force, cited the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Zamboanga City and the spike in viral infection from just under three dozen in March to over more than 300 this month following the easing of travel restrictions by the IATF-MEID.
She said APORs transporting essential goods are the only exemption to the mandatory RT-PCR testing. “We have asked the National IATF-MEID to allow the local government to impose a mandatory RT-PCR requirement for all persons entering Zamboanga including APORs, whether government or private, with the sole exception of those transporting essential goods,” she said.
The mayor said her request is contained in a resolution approved by the local Covid-19 task force. Climaco said she has written Secretary Carlito Galvez, the Covid-19 policy chief implementer, and explained why the local government wanted the mandatory RT-PCR testing for all people entering Zamboanga City.
The mayor said local health authorities observed that most of the Covid-19 cases were traced from APORs which eventually spread in different barangays here. She said the “no-swab test, no-entry” policy took effect on April 1 and shall run until end of the month or extended if necessary to protect the residents.
“As mayor, Zamboanga City residents are my priority and with the help of our hardworking frontliners from the government and security sector down to the barangays, we maximize vigilance in land and sea to protect our people. However, safety is everyone’s concern and duty,” she said.
Climaco said she also received reports that many residents are either complacent or not complying with the health protocols and community quarantine guidelines which largely contributed to the increase in active Covid-19 cases here. “I have been telling residents repeatedly to follow health protocols by properly wearing your face shield, face mask and sanitize hands or wash them frequently with soap and water and observe physical distancing. Bien mucho gente duro el cabesa,” she said.
City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite confirmed Climaco’s statement and said the growing number of Covid-19 cases was largely attributed to APORs who infected others in the community.
The uniformed travel protocols was approved by the IATF-MEID under Resolution No. 101 which forego documentary requirements such as RT-PCR testing and medical certificate for travellers across the country. It was 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 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.
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,” Malaya said, adding, 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.
Vice President Leni Robredo has previously criticized the IATF-MEID’s decision harmonizing travel requirement across all the country, saying it could trigger the spike in Covid-19 cases. Robredo was correct all along.
But 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. (Zamboanga Post)
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