IATF-EID Resolution No. 119, s. 2021

June 3, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 119, 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 (s. 2014) mandates the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) 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 (DOH), the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) biosurveillance has detected B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and P.3 variants of the COVID-19;

WHEREAS, the Department of Health (DOH), the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) biosurveillance has likewise received information on the existence of B.1.617 variant first detected in India;

WHEREAS, the continued implementation of proactive measures and restrictions must be put in place to slow down the surge in COVID-19 cases, stop further spread of variants, buy time for the health system to cope, and to protect more lives;

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

A. The recommendations of the Screening and Validation Committee for the reclassification of provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) beginning 05 June 2021 are approved, without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the imposition of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas, as follows:

1. Davao City shall be escalated to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine until 20 June 2021; and

2. General Santos City shall be escalated to General Community Quarantine until 30 June 2021.

B. The recommendations of the IATF Technical Working Group are approved, the specifics of which are as follows:

1. The request of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to conduct their professional licensure examinations for July to September 2021 is provisionally approved, subject to the strict monitoring and observance of minimum public health standards and health and safety protocols of the PRC, and subject to the issuance of the PRC-DOH-PNP Joint Guidelines, and the community quarantine classification as the IATF may implement on certain provinces, HUCs, and ICCs.

The PRC is requested to submit the list of venues and dates of examinations to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police Joint Task Force COVID Shield for the mobilization of necessary resources to ensure the safe conduct of examinations;

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, the inbound international travel to any port of the Philippines of all fully vaccinated individuals who have been vaccinated in the Philippines, shall be governed by the following guidelines:

a. An individual shall be considered has having been fully vaccinated for COVID-19:

i. > 2 weeks after having received the second dose in a 2-dose series, or

ii. > 2 weeks after having received a single-dose vaccine.

iii. Vaccines administered to the individual are included either in the Philippine Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) List or through a Compassionate Special Permit (CSP).

b. A fully vaccinated individual must carry his or her vaccination card, which must be verified prior to departure, as far as practicable. This document must be presented to the dedicated Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) representative for re-verification at the Department of Transportation One-Stop-Shop (OSS) upon arrival in the Philippines;

c. All arriving fully vaccinated individuals shall be required to undergo a seven (7)-day facility-based quarantine upon arrival, with the day of arrival being the first day;

d. The BOQ shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility quarantine for seven (7) days. Thereafter, the individual is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms;

e. The individual shall undergo Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing only when COVID-19 symptoms manifest within the duration of the seven (7)-day facility-based quarantine; and,

f. Upon completion of the seven (7)-day facility-based quarantine, the BOQ shall issue a Quarantine Certificate indicating therein the individual's vaccination status.

The Department of Health, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the National Economic and Development Authority are hereby directed to convene and provide recommendations for further relaxing testing and quarantine protocols for certain classes of travelers.

3. With reference to the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated 14 May 2021 and 31 May 2021 imposing travel restrictions on travelers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which exempts the entry of Filipinos from the foregoing countries who are returning as part of the repatriation programs of the government, and authorizes the IATF to provide for other reasonable exceptions to entry restrictions and protocols imposed thereto, the IATF hereby exempts non-Philippine government repatriation efforts. The following guidelines shall govern the implementation of such exemptions:

a. In case of Philippine government-organized repatriation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration shall conduct prior coordination with each other, and with the Department of Health-Bureau of Quarantine (DOH-BOQ), Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its One-Stop-Shop and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Task Group for the Management of Returning Overseas Filipinos at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the departure from the country of origin.

b. In case of non-Philippine government repatriations:

i. All Filipino repatriates from the countries with travel restrictions must present a negative RT-PCR result, with the test taken within forty-eight (48) hours prior to boarding the aircraft or vessel. It shall be the responsibility of the airline or shipping line to check on this requirement. For purposes of documentation and monitoring, the copy of the negative RT-PCR result of the repatriate shall be submitted to the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) upon arrival in the port of entry in the Philippines.

ii. Prior approval from the BOQ for the entry of the flight or vessel carrying the Filipino repatriates is a prerequisite prior to its movement from point of origin. For this purpose, (1) the concerned local manning agency, in the case of seafarers; the (2) Philippine recruitment agency, for land-based workers; or (3) the sponsoring Philippine government agency, in case of other overseas Filipinos not covered in the foregoing shall submit the request for exemption to the DOH-BOQ indicating therein the flight/vessel and repatriate details. Said approval by DOH-BOQ is tantamount to IATF's approval on the repatriation effort.

c. All repatriates from countries with travel restrictions in effect shall be placed on a strict fourteen-day (14-day) facility-based quarantine from the date of arrival in the Philippines, with the date of arrival being the first day.

The same protocols shall be applied to other countries which may be included in the travel restrictions, as determined by the IATF or the Office of the President.

4. Upon the recommendation of the Department of Tourism, foreign nationals holding Special Resident Retiree's Visa shall be allowed to enter the country without need of an entry exemption document. For this purpose, Paragraph C of IATF Resolution No. 100 issued on February 18, 2021 is amended accordingly.

5. For the duration wherein the inclusion of horse racing in the negative list of industries not allowed to operate is suspended, the Philippine Racing Commission shall be allowed two (2) additional racing days beginning July 01, 2021, following the previously approved health and safety protocols. Provided further, that their Off-Track Betting stations shall utilize fully functional contact tracing application/s.

C. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases commends the Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority Karl Kendrick T. Chua for the confirmation of his appointment.

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 during the 119th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this June 03, 2021, via video conference.

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

(SGD.) KARLO ALEXEI B. NOGRALESSecretary, Office of the Cabinet SecretariatIATF 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 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, (s. 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 03 June 2021 via teleconference during which a quorum was present and acted throughout, IATF Resolution No. 119-A n 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 3rd day of June 2021, Manila.

(SGD.) ATTY. CHARADE B. MERCADO-GRANDEAssistant Secretary of Health

 

n Note from the Publisher: Copied verbatim from the official document.