IATF-EID Resolution No. 078, s. 2020

October 8, 2020

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 078, 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 September 16, 2020, the President issued Proclamation No. 1021, (s. 2020) extending the period of the State of Calamity throughout the Philippines due to Corona Virus Disease 2019 declared under Proclamation No. 929, (s. 2020);

WHEREAS, as of October 08, 2020, there are total of Fifty-One Thousand Four-Hundred Eighty-Two (51,482) active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved, that the IATF ratifies the decisions of the IATF Technical Working Group, the specifics of which are as follows:

A. The health and safety protocols for the conduct of a plebiscite in the first quarter of 2021 to ratify the Division of the Province of Palawan pursuant to Republic Act No. 11259 and relevant provisions of the Constitution, as presented by the Commission on Elections and as vetted by the Department of Health, are approved. The COMELEC is encouraged to further devise safety mechanisms and procedures to facilitate the voting by confirmed COVID-19 and/or symptomatic patients.

The movement for the purpose of voting of persons between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-one (21) years old, those who are sixty (60) years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be exempt from the age restrictions imposed by the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, as amended;

B. Face-to-face trainings and assessments conducted or provided by Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) and TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs) in areas with a community quarantine classification of General Community Quarantine or lower shall be permitted, subject to compliance with TESDA Guidelines and minimum public health standards. For this purpose, Paragraph 11 (c) of Section [4] of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines is amended, to wit:

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c.) For technical vocational education and training (TVET) of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the following trainings and assessments may be conducted or provided by Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) and TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs) subject to compliance with TESDA Guidelines and minimum public health standards.

i. Full online/E-learning trainings;

ii. All training programs related to agriculture/fishery qualifications for food production and processing, domestic work, and other TVET qualifications as may be allowed by the DTI;

iii. Distance Learning for TVET programs;

iv. E-learning component of Blended Learning for TVET programs;

v. Dual Training System, Enterprise-Based Training, and In-Plant Training in establishments allowed to operate under GCQ;

vi. Virtual Assessment and Portfolio Assessment through electronic means for certain TVET qualifications; and

vii. Face-to-face competency assessment for domestic work, caregiver and housekeeping qualifications, ship's catering, and such other TVET qualifications as may be allowed by DTI up to 50% assessment site capacity, provided there is strict compliance with minimum public health standards, TESDA Guidelines and the consultation requirement with local government units.

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C. In specific areas under GCQ and MGCQ, dive establishments and resorts may accept guests travelling for purposes of recreational diving, arriving from areas with a community quarantine classification of GCQ or lower. The Department of Tourism shall determine destination localities where interzonal movement for purposes of the same may be permitted, taking into consideration the general preparedness of the area and its impact on the tourism industry, and shall issue the necessary guidelines therefor, which shall include a Test-Before-Travel requirement.

D. The IATF Sub-Technical Working Groups on Data Analytics and Anticipatory and Forward Planning are directed to convene with all the engaged health expert panels (DOH Technical Advisory Group, Healthcare Professionals' Alliance Against COVID-19) as well as economic experts, and to formulate unified recommendations concerning guidelines applicable to areas that may eventually be placed under the New Normal, the criteria for classifying areas (placing areas under community quarantine or under the New Normal), and other guidelines necessary to balance health and the economy.

For this purpose, the proposed National Action Plan Phase III of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 shall be aligned with the above-mentioned guidelines, to ultimately craft a unified long-term plan with clear and attainable performance metrics and explicit agency/sector accountabilities.

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

APPROVED during the 78th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this 8th of October 2020 via video conference.

(SGD.) FRANCISCO T. DUQUE IIISecretary, Department of HealthIATF Chairperson

(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 October 8, 2020 via teleconference during which a quorum was present and acted throughout, IATF Resolution No. 78 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 8th day of October 2020, Manila.

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