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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider IATF exempts gov't personnel from LGU's testing, quarantine protocols for unimpeded travel

IATF exempts gov't personnel from LGU's testing, quarantine protocols for unimpeded travel

Published Feb 5, 2021 11:30 am

Government officials and personnel can travel freely across the country without undergoing the testing and quarantine protocols in the areas of destination to ensure uninterrupted delivery of service.

(JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

The concerned state personnel need only to present their identification cards and travel authority as well as pass the symptom screening to fulfill their official mission to an area, according to the latest decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF).

"Approved by the IATF is the unimpeded travel of government officials/personnel on official business, including employees of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, to their place of destination," Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement Friday.

"These public officials and government personnel shall not be required to undergo mandatory testing and/or quarantine protocols of the local government units of their destination," he said.

The unimpeded travel of the government personnel aims "to ensure the national government agencies and their attached agencies to fulfill their respective mandates, the IATF Resolution No. 98-A read.

Under the resolution, the traveling government officials must comply with conditions, including observing health standards when visiting an area.

The government officials and personnel are allowed unimpeded travel provided they:

a. Present valid IDs issued by their respective government agency;

b. Present original or certified true copy of travel authority/order issued by the Department Secretary or his/her designated official;

c. Pass symptom screening at the port upon arrival, and in the case of public
transport, upon boarding; and

d. Strictly comply with the minimum public health standards

"No other requirements aside from the foregoing shall be required from he government official/employee," the IATF resolution read.

The PDIC earlier asked the IATF to set standard and uniform health, quarantine, and travel requirements for its employees deployed to carry out their mandates in lieu of the LGU requirements.

"To ensure the unhampered performance of critical government service being performed by government officials/personnel, there is a need to establish unified protocols to be observed regarding their movement," the resolution read.

At present, government officials and personnel are among the authorized persons outside their residence whose movement across quarantine areas is allowed. Local government units however have imposed varying testing and quarantine protocols for people entering their areas of jurisdiction.

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