IATF-EID Resolution No. 069, s. 2020

September 7, 2020

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 069, S. 2020

WHEREAS, on March 16, 2020, to prevent the sharp rise of COVID-19 cases in the country, the President placed the entirety of Luzon under Enhanced Community Quarantine until April 14, 2020;

WHEREAS, on March 30, 2020, to develop a science-based approach in determining the risk-based classification of areas in the country, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) convened a sub-Technical Working Group tasked to develop the LGU Epidemic Response Framework and to define parameters in assessing recent developments in the Philippine COVID-19 situation;

WHEREAS, on April 30, 2020, the Office of the Executive Secretary issued Executive Order (E.O.) No. 112, Imposing an Enhanced Community Quarantine in High-Risk Geographic Areas of the Philippines and a General Community Quarantine in the Rest of the Country from 01 to 15 May 2020, Adopting the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation Thereof, and for Other Purposes;

WHEREAS, on August 27, 2020, the IATF adopted major changes in the COVID-19 risk-classification method for Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities, and Independent Component Cities, use of new parameters for escalation and de-escalation of community quarantine classification, revised procedure for reporting and recommendations for risk classifications, and standardization of requirements for provinces, HUCs, and ICCs applying for de-escalation from GCQ to MGCQ;

WHEREAS, as of September 07, 2020, there are total of Forty-Nine Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty-One (49,931) active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved, that the IATF approves the following:

A. The Interim Omnibus Guidelines on Surveillance, Case Finding, Contact Tracing, Quarantine or Isolation, and Testing for COVID-19, as recommended by the Department of Health (DOH), the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC), DOH-Technical Advisory Group of Experts (DOH-TAG), COVID-19 Laboratory Expert Panel (CLEP), and the Healthcare Professionals Alliance against COVID-19 (HPAAC), as amended, are hereby partially adopted on the following identified priority groups, pending finalization of operational issues:

1. Returning Residents (RRs);

2. Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs);

3. International and domestic tourists; and

4. Essential workers in factories and economic zones.

B. The following general principles shall govern the unified algorithms in the aforementioned Interim Omnibus Guidelines:

1. Proper clinical assessment shall be the basis for quarantine, isolation, testing, discharge, travel, and return-to-work decisions, anchored on two main factors, namely, symptoms and exposure;

2. In determining the right test for the right reason under any circumstance, the following shall be considered:

a. Availability of test;

b. Best time to use the test;

c. Turn-around-time of test results; and

d. Test specificity and sensitivity which shall be independently validated.

3. Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) shall remain to be the gold standard for confirmatory testing. The use of the antigen test as a substitute for RT-PCR will be allowed under such conditions/specifications to be provided by the DOH, such as: a) as a pre-boarding requirement for asymptomatic domestic tourists before departure and travel to tourism destinations; or b) as a requirement upon entry at the place of destination if in accordance with the protocols of the local government unit, Provided, That a confirmatory antigen test will be undertaken three (3) to five (5) days thereafter; Provided further, That antigen testing may likewise be used in the testing of domestic tourists who turn symptomatic at the place of destination, if without RT-PCR capacity;

4. Proposed HTAC specification for antigen test is sensitivity of at least eighty percent (80%) and specificity of at least ninety-five percent (95%);

5. The algorithms shall reflect the most cost-effective intervention following the pretest probability framework — test only, test and quarantine, or isolate only; and

6. Quarantine, isolation, and testing strategies shall be complemented by strict adherence to the minimum public health standards.

C. The recommendations of the Economic Development Cluster on the provision of safe, responsive, and inclusive transportation services for the public transportation during the time of COVID-19 are hereby adopted, the specifics of which are as follows:

1. Adapt and continuously update the latest health standards and best practices, in consultation with health experts. (e.g., regular ventilation, mandatory protective equipment inside public utility vehicles (PUVs), and reducing passenger social distance requirements to a minimum when using face shields and face masks);

2. Require government agencies, large corporations, and firms registered in economic zones to provide regular shuttle services for their employees; Provided, that for companies who are not able to financially sustain provision of shuttle services, may adopt alternative arrangements such as cost-sharing, partial vouchers for use of Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) and other alternative arrangements to facilitate employees' transportation needs;

3. Implement the service contracting of PUVs, which will partially subsidize public transport operations, incentivize PUV operators to return and serve commuters, restore livelihoods of displaced transport workers, empower the government to enforce health, safety, and operational standards, as well as fund the additional cost of sanitation protocols;

4. Establish an interoperable automatic fare collection system (AFCS) for all PUVs, to promote cashless payments and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission;

5. Set up and enforce dedicated lanes for PUVs in major routes, along with building more PUV stops and stations, to increase the headway of PUVs and reduce commuters' time inside PUVs and in queues; and

6. Put up protected bicycle lanes and racks, at-grade crosswalks, wider walkways, and other forms of active transport infrastructure that will make walking and cycling safe, healthy, and comfortable for the public.

The foregoing recommendations shall be implemented upon the issuance by the Department of Transportation, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Labor and Employment, and such other concerned agencies of the necessary implementing guidelines therefor.

D. The requests of Region VI, and the Provinces of Iligan and Lanao del Sur to suspend the inbound travel of locally stranded individuals, as recommended by the National Chief Implementer of the Philippines' Declared National Policy against COVID-19 are hereby approved.

RESOLVED FURTHER, the Chairperson and/or the Co-Chairperson shall be duly authorized to sign for and on behalf of the Inter-Agency Task Force.

APPROVED during the 69th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this 7th of September 2020 via video conference.

(SGD.) KARLO ALEXEI B. NOGRALESCabinet Secretary, Office of the Cabinet SecretaryIATF Co-Chairperson

ATTACHMENT

Certification

This is to certify that:

1. I am presently an Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health;

2. I am the designated Head of the Secretariat of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases created under Executive Order No. 168, series of 2014 and chaired by the Department of Health (DOH);

3. The IATF Secretariat holds office in the DOH Main Office, San Lazaro Compound, Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila;

4. I am the custodian of the records of the IATF, including the Minutes of Meetings and Resolutions;

5. In the Regular Meeting of the IATF held on September 7, 2020 via teleconference during which a quorum was present and acted throughout, IATF Resolution No. 69 was unanimously approved and adopted;

6. The foregoing resolution has been signed by Secretary Francisco T. Duque III and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles upon authority of the IATF Members;

7. The aforesaid resolution has not been altered, modified nor revoked and the same is now in full force and effect;

8. I am executing this Certification for whatever legitimate purpose this may serve.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 7th day of September 2020, Manila.

(SGD.) KENNETH G. RONQUILLO, MD, MPHMAssistant Secretary, Department of Health