IATF-EID Resolution No. 125-A, s. 2021

July 8, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 125-A-21

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 recommends to the Office of the President the imposition of travel restrictions on all incoming travelers, including Filipino citizens, coming from and those with travel history within the last fourteen days in Indonesia in this wise:

1. All passengers coming from or who have been to Indonesia within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, except Filipinos returning pursuant to government-initiated, allowed non-government initiated repatriation programs and special commercial flights shall be prohibited from entering the country effective 0001H of 10 July 2021 until 2359H of 25 July 2021.

2. Effective immediately, all passengers in transit coming from, or who have been to Indonesia within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, arriving before 0001H of 10 July 2021 Manila time, shall not be prohibited from entering the Philippines but shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period notwithstanding a negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) result.

3. Filipinos and foreign passengers merely transiting through Indonesia shall be subject to the following rules:

a. All passengers, whether Filipinos or foreigners, merely transiting through this country shall not be deemed as having come from or having been to such country, provided that they stayed in the airport the whole time and were not cleared for entry into this country by their immigration authorities;

b. Upon arrival in the Philippines, passengers covered by the immediately preceding paragraph need not complete a full 14-day facility-based quarantine, and shall comply with existing testing and quarantine protocols of the national government; and

c. Transiting passengers who left the airport or were cleared for entry into Indonesia by their immigration authorities shall be prohibited from entering the Philippines; and

4. Finally, all specimens from travelers coming from Indonesia that turn positive upon testing in the Philippines shall undergo Whole Genome Sequencing. All close contacts must undergo facility-based quarantine for 14 days, and contact tracing shall expand up to the third generation contacts.

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 125th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this July 08, 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 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 08 July 2021 via teleconference during which a quorum was present and acted throughout, IATF Resolution No. 125-B 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 8th day of July 2021, Manila.

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

 

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