IATF-EID Resolution No. 144-A, s. 2021

October 14, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 144-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 10, 2021, the President issued Proclamation No. 1218 (s. 2021) further extending the period of the State of Calamity throughout the Philippines until September 12, 2022, unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant;

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, to further strengthen border controls, the IATF streamlines and codifies testing and quarantine protocols for international arriving passengers in all ports of entry in the Philippines, as follows:

I. The country risk classification will be based on the following metrics:

A. Incidence rate over the past 28 days for countries with population greater than 100,000 and case count over the past 28 days for countries with population 100,000 and below;

B. Testing rate and test-to-case ratio; and

C. Steepness of case trend.

II. "Green" List countries/jurisdictions/territories are those classified by the IATF as "Low Risk" countries/jurisdictions/territories. Subject to the review on the infection rates for fully vaccinated arriving international travelers and its operational framework on the fourteenth day from effectivity of this Resolution, the protocols for "Green" List countries/territories/jurisdictions in all ports of entry in the Philippines shall be as follows:

A. The following shall be the testing and quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated individuals:

1. For foreign nationals — a negative Reverse-Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test shall be required to be taken within seventy-two hours (72 hrs.) prior to departure from the country of origin. Upon arrival, no facility-based quarantine will be further required but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the fourteenth (14th) day with the first day being the date of arrival.

2. For Filipinos, whether Overseas Filipino Workers or non-Overseas Filipino Workers — either of the following depending on the choice of the arriving international passenger:

a) Facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken in the quarantine facility upon arrival; or

b) when a negative RT-PCR test was taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin, no facility-based quarantine shall be required but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the fourteenth (14th) day with the first day being the date of arrival.

3. For unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated, and those vaccinated but failed to comply with the above test-before-travel requirements:

a) Facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth (5th) day and self-monitor until the fourteenth (14th) day of arrival with the date of arrival being the first day. Foreign nationals shall be required to secure hotel reservations for at least 6 days.

b) Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated minor children traveling with their fully vaccinated parent/s or guardian/s shall be required to observe the quarantine protocols corresponding to their vaccination status. A parent/guardian shall accompany the child in the quarantine facility for the full term of the latter's facility-based quarantine period.

B. All passengers, whether Filipinos or foreigners, merely transiting through a non-Green List country/jurisdiction/territory shall not be deemed as having come from or having been to said country/jurisdiction/territory if they stayed in the airport the whole time and were not cleared for entry into such country/jurisdiction/territory by its immigration authorities.

C. The BOQ shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility quarantine. If found positive, he/she shall follow the prescribed isolation protocols. Upon completion of such quarantine, the BOQ shall issue a Quarantine Certificate indicating therein the individual's vaccination status.

III. "Yellow List" countries/jurisdictions/territories are those classified by the IATF as "Moderate Risk" countries/jurisdictions/territories, upon recommendation of the Sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics. The protocols for "Yellow" List countries/territories/jurisdictions in all ports of entry in the Philippines shall be as follows:

A. Fully vaccinated individuals coming from "Yellow" List countries/territories/jurisdictions, need to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR testing taken on the fifth (5th) day. After which, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until their tenth (10th) day, with the day of arrival being the first day. The Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility. Foreign nationals shall be required to secure their own pre-booked accommodation of at least six (6) days;

B. Unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently verified/confirmed by Philippine authorities as valid and authentic coming from "Yellow" List countries/territories/jurisdictions, shall be required to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR testing taken on the seventh (7th) day. After which, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until their fourteenth (14th) day, with the day of arrival being the first day. The BOQ shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility. Foreign nationals shall be required to secure their own pre-booked accommodation of at least eight (8) days.

IV. "Red" List countries/jurisdictions/territories are those classified by the IATF as "High Risk" countries/jurisdictions/territories, upon recommendation of the Sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics. The inbound international travel of all persons, regardless of vaccination status, coming from or who have been to "Red List" countries/jurisdictions/territories within the last fourteen (14) days prior to arrival to any port of the Philippines shall not be allowed. Only Filipinos returning to the country via government-initiated repatriation, non-government-initiated repatriation, and Bayanihan Flights may be allowed entry subject to the following entry, testing, and quarantine protocols:

A. All arriving travelers shall undergo fourteen (14)-day quarantine upon arrival. The first ten (10) days of which shall be observed in a quarantine facility, with the remainder to be completed under home quarantine in their respective local government units of destination;

B. Reverse-Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing shall be conducted on the seventh day with Day 1 being the day of arrival. Notwithstanding a negative test result, the arriving traveler shall complete the facility-based quarantine period of ten (10) days;

C. The Bureau of Quarantine shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility quarantine for ten (10) days;

D. All passengers, whether Filipinos or foreigners, merely transiting through a Red List country/jurisdiction/territory shall not be deemed as having come from or having been to said country/jurisdiction/territory if they stayed in the airport the whole time and were not cleared for entry into such country/jurisdiction/territory by its immigration authorities;

E. Upon arrival in the Philippines, passengers covered by the immediately preceding paragraph shall comply with existing testing and quarantine protocols.

V. For purposes of validating vaccination status, the following shall be observed:

A. (i) For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their spouse, parent/s, and/or children traveling with them vaccinated in the Philippines or abroad, (ii) non-OFWs vaccinated in the country or abroad, and (iii) foreigners vaccinated in the Philippines — either their VaxCertPH digital vaccination certificate, Bureau of Quarantine/World Health Organization-issued International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICV), or the national/state digital certificate of the foreign government where they were vaccinated, which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF.

B. For foreigner nationals vaccinated abroad: WHO-issued ICV, or the national/state digital certificate of the foreign government which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF.

VI. The foregoing testing and quarantine protocols shall be subject to special protocols approved by the IATF or the Office of the President for certain classes of travelers or ports of origin. For foreign nationals allowed entry in the Philippines, the same is without prejudice to visa categories allowed entry in the Philippines, and immigration laws, rules, and regulations such that the Commissioner of Immigration shall have the exclusive prerogative to decide on waiver or recall of exclusion orders for all foreign nationals authorized entry under relevant IATF resolutions, subject to regular reporting to the IATF Secretariat at the end of each calendar month.

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 144th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this October 14, 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 Undersecretary 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 14 October 2021 via teleconference during which a quorum was present and acted throughout, IATF Resolution No. 144-A was unanimously approved and adopted;

6. The foregoing resolution has been signed by Secretary Francisco T. Duque III and/or 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 October 2021, Manila.

(SGD.) ATTY. CHARADE B. MERCADO-GRANDEUndersecretary of Health