IATF-EID Resolution No. 146, s. 2021

October 28, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 146, 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, that the IATF approves the following:

A. In furtherance of the approved phased approach to the vaccination of the pediatric population, the recommended strategy of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and its Vaccination Cluster for the Vaccination Rollout for the Rest of the Pediatric Population (ROPP) to achieve the vaccination rate of eighty percent (80%) of the target population by December 2021 is hereby approved.

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

1. The limited international transit hub operations previously approved under IATF Resolution No. 133 (s. 2021) issued on 12 August 2021, shall be expanded to Yellow List countries/territories/jurisdictions. These international hub operations shall still be limited to airside transfers between Terminals 1 and 2, and within Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and further limited for countries/jurisdictions/territories in the Green and Yellow List. Protocols for the controlled movement of passengers and health and safety protocols within the terminals shall be strictly observed. Any traveler who may exhibit symptoms shall comply with isolation and quarantine protocols which shall be for the account of the sponsoring airlines. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) are directed to formulate the necessary protocols for the issuance of appropriate visas for this purpose applicable on a case-to-case basis.

2. A Sub-Technical Working Group is hereby created to be headed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and composed of its attached offices and agencies such as the One-Stop-Shop (DOTr-OSS), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the Department of Health (DOH), together with its Technical Advisory Group (DOH-TAG) and BOQ, the DFA, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the BI, and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) to formulate and propose recommendations for special pilot testing and quarantine protocols for travelers (Filipinos and Balikbayans and their families) coming from Green and Yellow List countries/territories/jurisdictions;

3. Recognizing that the operation of hotel and accommodation establishments are allowed under the Guidelines on the Implementation of Alert Levels System for COVID-19 Response in Pilot Areas, Section [1], Par. 5 thereof is hereby amended as follows:

5. Except those located in areas covered by granular lockdowns, all other establishments, or activities not prohibited under each Alert Level may be allowed to operate on-site provided they implement the minimum public health standards. However, they are encouraged to operate with a minimal on-site capacity, while applying work-from-home and other flexible work arrangements. For this purpose, the movement of workers of said establishments residing in areas not covered by granular lockdowns shall remain unrestricted.

Only hotels or accommodation establishments with valid DOT Accreditation shall be allowed to accommodate guests and clients subject to guidelines issued by the DOT and the IATF.

The Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines shall similarly be amended to reflect the same.

4. Indoor certification/qualifying examinations such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Occupational English Test (OET), Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Institute of Certified Management Accounting (ICMA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Society of Actuaries (SOA), and other similar examinations offered by testing centers as may be determined by DTI are hereby recognized as Specialty Exams allowed under the Guidelines on the Implementation of Alert Levels System for COVID-19 Response in Pilot Areas except in areas under Alert Level 5. Provided that all workers/employees of these testing centers and their examinees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and compliance with prescribed venue capacity and MPHS shall be strictly maintained.

5. The rules to be observed for validating vaccination status under IATF Resolution No. 144-A (s. 2021) issued on 14 October 2021 shall be amended as follows:

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

A. In lieu of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office-certification, OFWs and their spouse, children, parent/s travelling with them vaccinated abroad may present their digital/physical vaccination certificate of the foreign government where they were vaccinated without the need of a reciprocity agreement;

B. (i) Filipinos who are non-OFWs vaccinated in the country or abroad, and (ii) 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 digital certificate of the foreign government where they were vaccinated, which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF.

C. x x x

6. Adopting the following recommendations of the Sub-Technical Working Group on VaxCertPH:

a. Requests for COVID-19 digital vaccination certificates through VaxCertPH shall be opened for domestic use;

b. All local government units (LGUs) that do not have any electronic vaccine administration systems shall be required to adopt and use the Department of Information and Communications Technology Vaccine Administration System (DVAS) for recording and databasing of all vaccination information;

c. The DICT is hereby directed to provide bi-weekly (i.e., twice a week) updates to the Regional Vaccination Operation Centers (RVOC), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and other relevant stakeholders on the regional status of submission compliance of accurate and timely vaccination data to the Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS) central database and to work closely with partner government agencies for improving data submission compliance of the LGUs; and

d. The DILG is hereby directed to reiterate their national memorandum emphasizing to all LGUs the importance of submission of accurate and timely vaccination data to the VIMS central database, including the booths and manpower resources required to facilitate data rectification efforts of the LGUs as part of VaxCertPH issuance.

C. The recommendations of the DOTr for the gradual increase in passenger capacity in public transportation is hereby approved. For this purpose, the DOTr may implement the gradual increase in passenger capacities for public road-based and rail transportation plying the National Capital Region (NCR) and its adjacent provinces under the Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study (MMUTIS) Update and Capacity Enhancement Program (MUCEP) area from seventy percent (70%) to full capacity beginning 04 November 2021. The DOTr, through its relevant attached agencies, shall issue and disseminate the necessary memoranda to execute the same. The DOTr is likewise hereby authorized to expand said measures to other cities and regions, and other modes of transportation as it may deem fit. Provided that the applicable health and safety protocols are implemented and strictly enforced.

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 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 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