The local government of Cauayan City, Isabela became the first LGU in the country to scrap the swab (RT-PCR) test for fully-vaccinated travelers.
The move was welcomed by Cebu Pacific (CEB), hoping other LGUs would soon follow suit.
Passengers are considered fully-vaccinated at least 14 days after having received the second dose in a two-dose series, or at least 14 days after having received a single-dose vaccine.
“We commend the local government of Cauayan for being the first city in the country to implement green lanes for domestic travel," announced Alex Reyes, CEB Chief Strategy Officer.
"We firmly believe this will pave the way for the safe reopening of domestic tourism and we look forward to other local governments following suit,” he added.
In its Executive Order No. 53 – 2021, Cauayan City stated that the green lane will take effect while the city is under General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
Upon arrival in Cauayan, a traveler will undergo mandatory triage for assessment of documentary requirements and screening of symptoms.
“Cauayan City has now adopted 'Green Lanes' for fully vaccinated individuals for our inbound flights, the first to be done in the Philippines by a local government," confirmed Mayor Bernard Dy.
This is a big relief especially for returning OFWs and a way to encourage the people to get vaccinated, he pointed out.
"However, this does not mean that we will be complacent. These travels are still subject to reasonable regulations to protect our constituents from the risks of contracting and transmitting Covid-19, for the safety of the people and the whole City of Cauayan,” the mayor clarified.
Cauayan City’s Executive Order adopted the latest resolution on green lanes for inbound travelers as approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the management of emerging infectious diseases effective July 1, 2021.
A fully-vaccinated traveler must carry his vaccination card at all times as proof of his vaccination status.
CEB is the only airline operating flights between Manila and Cauayan. It currently operates three times weekly, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
CEB continues to be cautiously optimistic as it prioritizes rebuilding its domestic network first.
“Simplifying requirements for travelers, both local and foreign alike, will help the industry restore the trust and confidence of the traveling public,” according to Reyes.
CEB currently flies to 32 domestic destinations on top of its five international destinations from Manila.