IATF-EID Resolution No. 150-D, s. 2021

November 26, 2021

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 150-D, 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), and B.1.617 (Delta) variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, a new COVID-19 variant, denominated as B.1.1.529 and classified as a Variant under Monitoring as of 24 November 2021, was first detected in Botswana and has since been detected in South Africa. The same variant was detected in Hong Kong traced from a traveler from South Africa;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved, that upon the recommendations of its Technical Working Group on COVID-19 Variants, and favorable recommendation of the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the following border control measures to prevent the entry of the B.1.1.529 variant which have the potential for increased transmissibility and effect in vaccine efficacy shall be implemented:

A. Effective immediately and until 15 December 2021, inbound international flights from South Africa, Botswana, and other countries with local cases or have likelihood to have occurrences of the B.1.1.529 variant shall be temporarily suspended. The Bureau of Quarantine, in close coordination with the local government units, shall locate travelers from the above-listed countries who may have arrived in the recent seven days prior to the temporary suspension of inbound travel. These travelers shall be required to undergo full fourteen (14)-day facility-based quarantine with Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test on the seventh day or upon location of the passenger, whichever is later, with date of arrival as Day 1. Additionally, inbound international flights from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique, which are adjacent to South Africa and Botswana, shall be temporarily suspended. Passengers coming from or having been to said countries within the last fourteen (14) days prior to arrival shall be temporarily barred from entering the country;

B. Passengers already in transit from the abovementioned countries and all those who have been to the same within 14 days immediately preceding arrival to the Philippines, who arrive before 0001H of November 28, 2021, shall not be subject to the above restriction, but shall nevertheless be required to undergo stricter quarantine and testing protocols, i.e., the observation of an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period notwithstanding a negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) result.

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

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

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 this 26th November 2021, via ad referendum.

(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. IATF Resolution No. 150-D was unanimously approved and adopted via ad referendum;

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 26th day of November 2021, Manila.

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