IATF-EID Resolution No. 146-A, s. 2021

October 28, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 146-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 IATF approved the shift in the policy of classifying Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), and Independent Component Cities (ICC) for purposes of community quarantine and adopted the Alert Levels System for identified pilot areas of implementation.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved, that the IATF approves the recommendation of the Sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics in expanding the implementation of the Alert Levels System. Beginning 01 November 2021, the following provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) shall be under their respective Alert Level:

A. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Alert Level 4 until 14 November 2021:

1. Region III: Aurora;

2. Region VI: Bacolod City;

3. Region VII: Negros Oriental; and

4. Region XI: Davao Occidental.

B. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Alert Level 3 until 14 November 2021:

1. Cordillera Administrative Region: Baguio City; ^*

2. Region III: Bataan;

3. National Capital Region;

4. Region IV-A: Cavite, Laguna, Rizal;

5. Region VI: Iloilo City;

6. Region VII: Siquijor;

7. Region X: Lanao del Norte; and

8. Region XI: Davao City and Davao del Norte.

^* Included as an area for special monitoring

C. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Alert Level 2 until 14 November 2021:

1. Region III: Angeles City, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac;

2. Region IV-A: Batangas, Quezon Province, and Lucena City;

3. Region VI: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental;

4. Region VII: Bohol, Cebu City, Lapu-lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu Province;

5. Region X: Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Iligan City, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental; and

6. Region XI: Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that to ensure sufficient safeguards are in place when provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities are de-escalated to Alert Level 1, the following metrics must be achieved:

A. Full vaccination coverage of at least seventy percent (70%) each of their eligible population, Priority Group A2, and Priority Group A3; and

B. A target number of establishments identifiable as under the principles of 3C's (Closed, Crowded, and Close Contact) within their respective local government units (LGUs) should be awarded Safety Seal Certification under the Safety Seal Certification Program. Target number shall be that as may be jointly determined by the Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Tourism, and the Department of Health.

RESOLVED FURTHER STILL, that upon the recommendations of the Screening and Validation Committee, the IATF approves the following risk-level classifications of Provinces, HUCs, and ICCs beginning 1 November 2021:

A. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) until 30 November 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. La Union;

b. Region I: Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan;

c. Region IV-B: Marinduque and Romblon; and

d. Region V: Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon.

2. For the Visayas:

a. Region VIII: Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Western Samar, and Ormoc City.

3. For Mindanao:

a. Sultan Kudarat;

b. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): Basilan, Isabela City, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

B. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until 30 November 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: Ifugao, Benguet, Apayao, and Kalinga;

b. Region I: Ilocos Sur and Dagupan City;

c. Batanes;

d. Region IV-B: Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa, and Palawan; and

e. Region V: Albay, Naga City, and Camarines Norte.

2. For Visayas: Tacloban City.

3. For Mindanao:

a. Region IX: Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur;

b. Region XII: Gen. Santos City, Sarangani, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato;

c. Region XIII (CARAGA): Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Butuan City and Dinagat Islands; and

d. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): Cotabato City, and Lanao del Sur.

C. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until 15 November 2021, without prejudice to their reclassification as may be warranted and the declaration of localized Enhanced Community Quarantine in critical areas:

1. For Luzon: Mountain Province and Catanduanes; and

2. For Mindanao: Zamboanga City.

D. The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until 30 November 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. Abra,

b. Region II: Cagayan, Isabela, City of Santiago, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.

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 ten percentage (10%) 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 LGU 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 yo) and above sixty-five (65), and other protocols and restrictions as may be imposed by the DOT and the LGU 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 LGU 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.

Gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment, funerals for those who died of causes other than COVID-19 and for the cremains of those who died due to 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.

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

1. Ramp up vaccination efforts among Priority Groups A2 and A3 populations to reduce the occurrence of more severe disease and fatalities. Parallel efforts to vaccinate A4 and A5 population, if resources are adequate;

2. Improved implementation of engineering and administrative controls, especially ventilation standards and actions against crowding and gatherings;

3. Health promotion and strict enforcement of minimum public health standards, especially their uniform implementation in high-risk areas such as healthcare settings, wet markets, supermarkets, government offices, workplaces, and at home, among others;

4. The implementation of localized community quarantine and the ramping up of the availability of identified quarantine facilities in priority/critical areas with community transmission, including in private and public establishments, with the concurrence of the RIATF;

5. Immediate facility-based isolation of all suspect, and probable cases, and the isolation of persons exhibiting symptoms and individuals awaiting their test results;

6. Improved distribution of personal protective equipment and waste management;

7. Continuous health education on COVID-19 transmissions;

8. Scaling up of local health systems capacity, especially for community isolation and critical care, including dedicated mechanical ventilators, and Intensive Care Units, isolation, and ward beds for COVID-19 cases; and

9. Submission of complete and accurate data through COVID-Kaya and the DOH DataCollect.

RESOLVED FINALLY, 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 146th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting, as reflected in the minutes of the meeting, held this October 28, 2021, via video conference.

(SGD.) KARLO ALEXEI B. NOGRALESSecretary, Office of the Cabinet SecretariatIATF Co-Chairperson

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 28 October 2021 via teleconference during which a quorum was present and acted throughout, IATF Resolution No. 146-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 28th day of October 2021, Manila.

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