Travel at your own risk
Check LGU restrictions, Eleazar advises
There is still clarification needed because while there is already easing of travel restrictions, the public should know if they can enter the province or city they would travel to
Restrictions between general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) areas have been eased but travelers should check first the regulations of their places of destination.
Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield chief Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar reminded the public on Monday that there are still local government units (LGU) with strict measures, some requiring travel passes and medical certificates.
“There is still clarification needed because while there is already easing of travel restrictions, the public should need to know if they can enter the province or city they would travel to,” he said. “We advise the public that they should make sure of the regulations those areas are implementing.”
All police commanders were likewise ordered to coordinate with their local government units, particularly provinces and highly-urbanized cities, to determine whether travel restrictions would still be imposed in their areas of responsibility or if an “unrestricted policy” will be observed for incoming travelers.
We fully understand the concerns of the local chief executives during our meeting and we appreciate and support the level of awareness and response they have been doing in the past months to protect their respective areas and their constituents from the coronavirus disease.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan issued the directive following the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) lifting of restrictions on people movement nationwide.
Eleazar disclosed that a number of local chief executives requested the national government to give them enough time to adjust to the decision.
“We fully understand the concerns of the local chief executives during our meeting and we appreciate and support the level of awareness and response they have been doing in the past months to protect their respective areas and their constituents from the coronavirus disease,” he said.
“So, we will leave it to the discretion of the LGU regarding the implementation of the travel restrictions especially those who are not included in the list of the Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) and the locally stranded individuals (LSI). The JTF COVID Shield, in coordination with our Chief PNP will assist our LGU in the implementation of their local quarantine rules.”
The League of Provinces of the Philippines, headed by Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco, stressed the need to implement local quarantine rules to protect their constituents from potential COVID-19 carriers.
Velasco, however, assured that they will continue to receive overseas, returning or repatriated Filipino workers and LSI provided that the non-APOR and LSI will comply with requirements.
Global experience has shown that the case fatality rate and severity of sickness between 15 and 20 years old vis-à-vis those who are 65 years old and above are much less as younger people have fewer health risks while there is a prevalence of immunodeficiency and comorbidity among senior citizens who would be better off at home.
“In the meantime, there would be a status quo on the implementation of the travel restrictions unless certain LGU signify their intention to immediately comply with the unrestricted policy on travel,” Eleazar said.
Considered APOR are health and emergency frontline, government and duly-authorized humanitarian assistance personnel and those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons.
The list also includes persons going to the airport for travel abroad, anyone crossing zones for work or permitted businesses and going back home and other persons transported through the efforts of the national government.
The government also decided to allow individuals aged 15 to 65 years old to go out of their residences.
“Local government units may impose a higher age limit for minors, depending on the COVID-19 situation in their respective jurisdictions,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a previous statement.
The IATF decision was based on “science and hard data.”
“Global experience has shown that the case fatality rate and severity of sickness between 15 and 20 years old vis-à-vis those who are 65 years old and above are much less as younger people have fewer health risks while there is a prevalence of immunodeficiency and comorbidity among senior citizens who would be better off at home,” Roque said.
“This is in addition to the fact that the age of 65 is the retirement age of most in the private sector.”
The Cabinet also backed shorter curfew hours and multiple work shifts to allow more workers and buyers to contribute to the economy, further gradual expansion of business capacity to 75 to 100 percent and the imposition of the one-seat-apart policy in public transport.