Recommendations for the Management of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation

February 14, 2020

IATF-EID RESOLUTION NO. 05, S. 2020

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CORONA VIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) SITUATION

WHEREAS, Section 15 of 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, recognizing the need for an inter-sectoral collaboration to establish preparedness and ensure efficient government response to assess, monitor, contain, control, and prevent the spread of any potential epidemic in the Philippines, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) was created by virtue of Executive Order (E.O.) No. 168, s. 2014;

WHEREAS, on January 7, 2020, Chinese health authorities reported that the cause of a viral pneumonia outbreak in the City of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China is a novel type of corona virus (2019-nCoV) that has not been previously identified in humans;

WHEREAS, on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the 2019-nCoV Acute Respiratory Disease (ARD) is now considered a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC);

WHEREAS, on February 11, 2020, the Director-General of the WHO has declared that the 2019-nCoV ARD will now be referred to as the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19);

WHEREAS, as of February 13, 2020, there are forty-six thousand nine hundred ninety-seven (46,997) confirmed cases worldwide, with forty-six thousand five hundred and fifty (46,550) cases all recorded in China;

WHEREAS, as of February 14, 2020, the Philippines through the Department of Health has confirmed three (3) cases in the country;

WHEREAS, on January 31, 2020, upon directive of the Office of the President, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease has resolved to implement a travel ban covering China, Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR), and Hong Kong SAR;

WHEREAS, on February 11, 2020, travel restrictions were extended to cover Taiwan on the basis that it is being used as a transit port by passengers from mainland China;

WHEREAS, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) has received communications and information pertaining to strict protocols that Taiwan has established, which enable the Philippines to credibly determine whether any traveller has come from mainland China and its Special Administrative Regions (SARs);

WHEREAS, upon independently verifying the subject protocols, the IATF is convinced that the protocols provide reliable assurance that sufficient measures are in place to effectively prevent potential carriers of the disease from entering or departing Taiwan;

WHEREAS, the IATF is continuously monitoring several risk indicators and protocols from other jurisdictions such as Macau, with a view to modifying the current travel restrictions if considerations of public health will warrant;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved, that the IATF approves the following measures to guide the management of the COVID-19 situation:

1. Travel restrictions imposed upon Taiwan are hereby lifted, effective immediately;

2. As for the travel restrictions still in effect with regard to China, Hongkong and Macau, the exceptions applicable to Filipino citizens and holders of Permanent Resident Visa shall similarly apply to members of the diplomatic corps regardless of nationality;

3. The IATF, through the Chairperson, shall request the Chinese Government to inform the Philippines of protocols being followed by Macau, if any, that prevent potential carriers of COVID-19 from entering or departing such SAR, and enable other jurisdictions to determine the recent travel history of any traveller exiting from Macau;

4. A Technical Working Group (TWG) is hereby constituted, composed of representatives of the members of the IATF, which shall study and formulate recommendations relative to the application of prevailing travel restrictions to specific classes of travelers. The recommendations of the TWG shall be immediately submitted to the member agencies of the IATF for approval; and

5. Any resolution of the IATF on travel restrictions shall be the subject of regular review.

APPROVED at the 5th Inter-Agency Task Force Meeting as reflected in the minutes of the meeting on the 14th of February, 2020, at Presidential Guest House, Malacañang Palace, Manila, Philippines.

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

(SGD.) BRIGIDO J. DULAYUndersecretary, Department of Foreign Affairs

(SGD.) FRANCISCO R. CRUZAssistant Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government

(SGD.) MENARDO I. GUEVARRASecretary, Department of Justice

(SGD.) SILVESTRE H. BELLO IIISecretary, Department of Labor and Employment

(SGD.) ARTHUR P. TUGADESecretary, Department of Transportation

(SGD.) BERNADETTE FATIMA T. ROMULO-PUYATSecretary, Department of Tourism

(SGD.) MANUEL ANTHONY S. TANOIC-Undersecretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology