IATF-EID Resolution No. 133-A, s. 2021

August 12, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 133-A, 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 have detected B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), and P.1 (Gamma) variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the Philippines. The DOH, UP-PGH, and UP-NIH have likewise confirmed the presence of the B.1.617 (Delta) variant that was 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, upon the recommendations of the Screening and Validation Committee, the IATF approves the following risk-level classifications of Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), and Independent Component Cities (ICCs) effective 16 August 2021:

A. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) until 31 August 2021, without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas: aDSIHc

1. For Luzon:

a. Cordillera Administrative Region — Ifugao, Kalinga, Abra, Benguet, Mt. Province;

b. Region I — La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City;

c. Batanes;

d. Region III — Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales, Angeles City, Olongapo City;

e. Region IV-B — Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, ^* Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and Palawan; ^* and

f. Region V — Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon.

2. For the Visayas:

a. Region VII — Bohol, Siquijor; and

b. Region VIII — Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Western Samar, ^* and Ormoc City. ^*

3. For Mindanao:

a. Region X — Bukidnon, ^* Camiguin, ^* Iligan, Lanao del Norte, ^* Misamis Occidental; ^*

b. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) — Basilan, Maguindanao, ^* Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

^* Areas requiring special attention by the Local Government Units and Regional IATF/RTF

B. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until 31 August 2021, without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas:

1. For Luzon:

a. Cordillera Administrative Region — Baguio City;

b. Region II — Santiago City, Quirino, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya;

c. Beginning 13 August 2021, Tarlac; and

d. Puerto Princesa.

2. For Visayas:

a. Region VI — Guimaras, Negros Occidental.

3. For Mindanao:

a. Region IX — Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte;

b. Region XI — Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur;

c. Region XII — Gen. Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato;

d. Region XIII (CARAGA) — Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands; and

e. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) — Cotabato City. ETHIDa

^*Areas requiring special attention by the Local Government Units and Regional IATF/RTF

C. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until 31 August 2021, without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas:

1. For Luzon:

a. Apayao;

b. Ilocos Norte;

c. Bulacan;

d. Region IV-A — Cavite, Lucena City, Laguna, and Rizal.

2. For Visayas:

a. Region VI — Aklan, Iloilo, and Iloilo City; and

b. Region VII — Lapu-lapu City, Mandaue City, and Cebu City.

D. The Enhanced Community Quarantine classification currently imposed upon Laguna, Iloilo City, and Cagayan de Oro City until 15 August 2021 shall be maintained. Thereafter, Laguna, Iloilo City, and Cagayan de Oro shall be de-escalated to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine until 31 August 2021, without prejudice to their reclassification and the declaration and imposition of strict granular lockdowns in critical areas.

E. The National Capital Region and Bataan shall remain under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until 20 August 2021, and 22 August 2021, respectively.

F. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until 31 August 2021, without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas:

1. For Luzon:

a. Ilocos Sur;

b. Cagayan;

c. Region IV-A — Quezon and Batangas; and,

d. Naga City.

2. For Visayas:

a. Region VI — Antique, Bacolod City, and Capiz; and,

b. Negros Oriental and Cebu.

3. For Mindanao:

a. Zamboanga del Sur;

b. Misamis Oriental; cSEDTC

c. Region XI — Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, and Davao de Oro; and

d. Butuan City.

The provinces, HUCs, and ICCs in the preceding paragraph shall observe and implement the following heightened restrictions:

1. Food preparation establishments such as commissaries, restaurants, and eateries may operate with their indoor dine-in services at the venue or seating capacity of twenty percent (20%), and with their al fresco or outdoor dine-in services at the venue or seating capacity of fifty percent (50%);

2. Personal care services, such as beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops, and nail spas, may operate up to thirty percent (30%) of venue or seating capacity. For this purpose, these establishments shall only provide services that can accommodate the wearing of face masks at all times by patrons/clients and service providers;

3. Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) events and social events in venue establishments shall not be allowed;

4. Outdoor tourist attractions, as may be defined by the Department of Tourism (DOT), shall remain to be allowed at thirty percent (30%) venue capacity with strict adherence to minimum public health standards;

5. Under the Safety Seal Certification Program, business establishments awarded Safety Seal Certifications shall be allowed to operate at an additional 10 percentage points beyond the prescribed on-site capacity or venue/seating capacity, whichever is applicable;

6. Indoor sports courts and venues and indoor tourist attractions shall not be allowed to operate;

7. Specialized markets of the DOT such as Staycations without age restrictions shall remain to be allowed at such capacities, protocols, and restrictions as may be imposed by the DOT;

8. Interzonal travel shall be allowed subject to restrictions of the local government unit of destination. Point-to-Point travel to areas under General Community Quarantine and Modified General Community Quarantine shall be allowed without age restrictions subject to an RT-PCR test-before-travel requirement for those below eighteen years old (18) and above sixty-five (65), and other protocols and restrictions as may be imposed by the DOT and the Local Government Unit of destination;

9. Religious gatherings shall be allowed up to ten percent (10%) of the venue capacity. Provided that, there is no objection from the local government unit where the religious gathering may take place. Provided, further, that the LGU may increase the allowable venue capacity up to thirty percent (30%). The religious denominations should strictly observe their submitted protocols and the minimum public health standards. SDAaTC

Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 shall be allowed, provided that the same shall be limited to immediate family members, upon satisfactory proof of their relationship with the deceased and with full compliance with the prescribed minimum public health standards for the duration of the activity; and

10. Other provisions of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, as amended, not affected by the foregoing shall continue to be in effect including those on interzonal travel into and out of the aforementioned areas and the operation of public transportation. The use of active transportation shall likewise be promoted.

G. All areas shall continue to implement the following measures:

1. On health systems capacity and projections:

a. Provide for additional COVID-19 and intensive care unit beds based on estimates, following DOH Department Memorandum No. 2021-0327 or the Interim Guidelines on COVID-19 Surge Response Plan for Health Facilities, issued on 23 July 2021;

b. Consider converting hospitals to COVID-19 hospitals;

c. Reinforce utilization of Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities; and,

d. Accelerate vaccination among Priority Groups A2 (Senior Citizens) and A3 (Persons with Comorbidities, and Pregnant Women) to significantly reduce hospitalizations.

2. On current community quarantine classification framework and observations:

a. Emphasize the Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate Strategy as the center of COVID-19 response;

b. Communicate clearly the rationale for the community quarantine classification;

c. Explore more regional and local accountability and ownership for community quarantine imposition at the regional and local levels; maintain and observe the metrics to be followed by regional and local IATFs; and

d. Capacitate regional and local IATFs.

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. acEHCD

APPROVED during the 133rd Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this August 12, 2021, via video conference.

(SGD.) FRANCISCO T. DUQUE IIISecretary, Department of Health

(SGD.) KARLO ALEXEI B. NOGRALESSecretary, Office of the Cabinet Secretariat

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; EcTCAD

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 12 August 2021 via teleconference during which a quorum was present and acted throughout, IATF Resolution No. 133-A 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 12th day of August 2021, Manila.

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