ON RELIEF CONSIGNMENTS
Following the World Health Organization’s declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, President Rodrigo R. Duterte issued Proclamation No. 929 on March 16, placing the country under a State of Calamity for six months and ordering an Enhanced Community Quarantine
(ECQ) for Luzon to significantly limit the movement of people in the hopes of preventing the spread of the virus.
With the declaration, immediate action is expected from the government, especially when border closures from the lockdown hamper the delivery of essential goods and medical supplies. There is news of donated medical supplies and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from neighboring countries, yet calls for more PPE due to scarcity are not unusual on social media. It raises the question of whether the government has implemented any policy to expedite the release of foreign donations and medical imports to reach the vulnerable.
What is the current policy on imports? Under the revised Customs Modernization and Tariff Act of the Philippines, imports are generally subject to customs duties and taxes unless otherwise exempted. One such exemption is imports of Relief Consignments (RC) during a State of Calamity.
RC refers to goods such as food, medicine, equipment, and materials for shelter, which are donated or leased to government institutions and accredited emption, donated RCs such as food, medicine, medical supplies, clothing, and other in-kind donations must be imported during the state of calamity; must be donated only to a Qualified Donee (i.e., a government agency or private entities accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Health, and Office of the Civil Defense); and must be for free distribution or use by the affected population.
• RCs which are classified as equip
ment and materials for shelter must be intended for a specific calamity or disaster-affected area during relief and rescue operation or leased to government institutions or registered, licensed, and accredited private entities.
• The Philippine International Hu
manitarian Assistance Reception Center