The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has relaxed travel restrictions, allowing nonessential travel between areas under general comunity quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ (MGCQ).
“The interzonal movement of persons not authorized outside of residences between areas placed under GCQ and MGCQ for any purpose shall be permitted subject to the reasonable regulations imposed by the LGU (local government unit) concerned,” the IATF said in Resolution No. 79.
The following will be allowed interzonal travel regardless of their destination’s quarantine classification:
- medical workers and health and emergency frontline services personnel
- government officials
- duly-authorized humanitarian assistance actors
- persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons
- persons going to the airport for travel abroad
- anyone crossing zones for work or business permitted in the zone of destination and going back home
- LGUs could put in place restrictions barring interzonal travel from or going to their areas of jurisdictions.
For Boracay, the IATF also relaxed the requirement for negative RT-PCR test results to be secured from 48 to 72 hours prior to the date of travel.
Business establishments and malls were also allowed to hold sales events to spur consumer and economic activity to revive the economy, subject to the Department of Trade and Industry’s guidelines in the operations of malls.
The country has 50,354 active Covid-19 cases as of Oct. 16. John Ezekiel J. Hirro