IATF-EID Resolution No. 094, s. 2021

January 14, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 094, S. 2021

WHEREAS, Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Constitution states that the State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them;

WHEREAS, Section 2 (b) of Executive Order No. 168 mandates the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to prevent and/or minimize the entry of suspected or confirmed patients with emerging infectious diseases into the country;

WHEREAS, on September 16, 2020, the President issued Proclamation No. 1021 (s. 2020) extending the period of the State of Calamity throughout the Philippines until September 21, 2021;

WHEREAS, the Department of Health received reports regarding a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.7 or VUI 2020/12/01) spreading in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) and another variant identified in South Africa (501.V2);

WHEREAS, Memorandums of the Executive Secretary provided for additional measures to be observed relative to the SARS-CoV-2 Variant detected in the United Kingdom including the imposition of travel restrictions on countries/jurisdictions where the new COVID-19 variants were officially reported, and subjected Filipino citizens coming from the same countries/jurisdictions to an absolute 14-day quarantine period notwithstanding a negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test result;

WHEREAS, the continued implementation of proactive measures is necessary to ensure the utmost protection of the health of the Filipino people;

WHEREAS, as of January 13, 2021, there are a total of Twenty-Four Thousand Four Hundred Seventy-Eight (24,478) 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 updated criteria for selecting priority areas for COVID-19 vaccines deployment of the Department of Health, in consultation with the interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) for COVID-19 Vaccines, is hereby approved;

B. The Department of Transportation is directed to strictly implement its issuances against airlines that allow the boarding of passengers who are prohibited from entering the Philippines pursuant to travel restrictions imposed by the Office of the President and the IATF. Exemptions to these entry restrictions shall be governed by the implementing guidelines as may be issued by the IATF Technical Working Group, in coordination with the appropriate implementing agencies;

C. The recommendations of the IATF Technical Working Group on New COVID-19 Variants are approved, the specifics of which are as follows:

1. Entry travel restrictions and its governing rules applicable to all travelers coming from or transiting through the following countries/jurisdictions listed hereunder shall be extended until January 31, 2021:

a. The United Kingdom;

b. Denmark;

c. Ireland;

d. Japan;

e. Australia;

f. Israel;

g. The Netherlands;

h. The People's Republic of China, including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region;

i. Switzerland;

j. France;

k. Germany;

l. Iceland;

m. Italy;

n. Lebanon;

o. Singapore;

p. Sweden;

q. South Korea;

r. South Africa;

s. Canada;

t. Spain;

u. United States of America;

v. Portugal;

w. India;

x. Finland;

y. Norway;

z. Jordan;

aa. Brazil;

bb. Austria;

cc. Pakistan;

dd. Jamaica;

ee. Luxembourg; and

ff. Oman.

2. The strengthening of contact tracing protocols by expanding to third-generation close contacts for known new variant cases whereby all identified close contacts must undergo strict facility-based quarantine for fourteen days. Remaining contacts from the flight manifest shall be advised of the appropriate quarantine protocols. The Department of the Interior and Local Government is hereby directed to issue the necessary advisories to local government units for the preparation, strengthening, and maintenance of their quarantine facilities and contact tracing efforts for a possible surge of COVID-19 cases;

3. All incoming travelers from any country, if found positive, shall undergo whole genome sequencing conducted by the DOH, University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center, and UP-National Institutes of Health, in addition to the prescribed testing and quarantine protocols.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and DOTr One-Stop-Shop, together with the DOH, UP-PGC, UP-NIH are directed to ensure the implementation of the appropriate protocols for those found to be positive of the new COVID-19 variants;

4. A small working group composed of DOH as lead, Department of Tourism, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Budget and Management, Department of National Defense, Bureau of Quarantine, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, representatives from the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Task Group on Management of Returning Overseas Filipinos are hereby directed to convene as soon as possible and resolve issues on funding, availability, and use of quarantine facilities, and eventual handing over to LGUs of arriving Overseas Filipinos, including contingency plans;

5. The continuation of weekly genomic biosurveillance activities of the Department of Health, Philippine Genome Center, and University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health among incoming passengers and local cases, prioritizing hospitalized patients, "re-infected" patients, and those in clusters;

6. All implementing agencies are directed to issue the necessary advisories to their attached agencies and permitted industries and/or sectors within their regulatory authorities for the more vigilant enforcement and monitoring of minimum public health standards;

7. Revisions on the Omnibus Guidelines for the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines as follows:

a. Section 4. GUIDELINES FOR AREAS UNDER GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE. — Areas placed under GCQ shall observe the following protocols:

(14) The road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors of public transportation shall be allowed to operate at such capacity and following the protocols as provided for by the DOTr.

b. Section 5. GUIDELINES FOR AREAS UNDER MODIFIED GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE. — Areas placed under MGCQ shall observe the following protocols:

(8) The road, rail, maritime, and aviation sectors of public transportation shall be allowed to operate at such capacity and following the protocols as provided for by the DOTr.

8. The DILG is directed to ensure the proper enforcement of IATF Resolution No. 85 on the use of StaySafe.ph system by local government units for ease of contact tracing.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that 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 this 14th of January 2021 via videoconference.

(SGD.) KARLO ALEXEI B. NOGRALESSecretary, 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 interim OIC-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 a regular meeting of the IATF, the IATF Resolution No. 94 was unanimously approved and adopted;

6. The foregoing resolution has been signed by Secretary Francisco T. Duque III and Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles upon the 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 14th day of January 2021, Manila.

(SGD.) ATTY. CHARADE B. MERCADO-GRANDEOIC-Head of the Secretariat, IATFAssistant Secretary of Health