Government

Guidelines for Interzonal And Intrazonal Movement as of July 2, 2020

The Philippines IATF released updated Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the country on July 2, 2020.

While it updated the various protocols for areas under ECQ, MECQ, GCQ, MGCQ, to be in sync with its prior resolutions, it also updated general provisions and guidelines for inter- and intra- zonal movements.

Interzonal movement is between areas of different Community Quarantine classification (e.g. GCQ to MGCQ and vice-versa). Intrazonal movement is for movement within an area of the same Community Quarantine classification.

Here is a summary of the points under Section 7. Guidelines for Interzonal And Intrazonal Movement:

Movement of Cargo, Logistics, and Specific Persons

The movement of all types of cargoes by land, air, or sea within and across areas placed
under any form of community quarantine shall be allowed and unhampered. Workers in the logistics sector should also not be hampered in their movement.

  • Only a maximum of five (5) personnel may operate cargo and delivery vehicles by land, with or without load and strict social distancing measures must be observed in the vehicles.

All LGUs are directed to strictly abide by this national policy and are enjoined not to issue orders contrary to or inconsistent with said directive, such as, but not limited to, requiring asymptomatic drivers and crew of cargo or service delivery vehicles to undergo mandatory fourteen (14)-day home quarantine.

The PNP may still on its own conduct inspection procedures and checkpoints.

Movement of the following persons within and across any form of community quarantine shall be allowed:

  • (1) health and emergency frontline services personnel
  • (2) government officials and government frontline personnel
  • (3) duly-authorized humanitarian assistance actors (HAAs)
  • (4) persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons
  • (5) persons going to the airport for travel abroad
  • (6) returning or repatriated OFWs and other Overseas Filipinos (OFs) returning to their places of residence
  • (7) other persons transported through the efforts of the national government upon observance of the necessary quarantine protocols and with the concurrence of the receiving LGUs
  • (8) anyone crossing zones for work permitted in the zone of destination, and going back home

Authorized shuttle services shall be allowed to travel within and across areas placed under any form of community quarantine, with priority given to persons rendering health and emergency frontline services.

Land, air or sea travel by uniformed personnel, government officials and employees for official business with the corresponding travel authority, and authorized HAAs, especially those transporting medical supplies and laboratory specimens related to COVID-19, and other relief and humanitarian assistance, shall be allowed.

Guidelines for OFWs, Recruitment and Placement Agencies, and related Government Offices

OFWs, students enrolled abroad and participants accepted in exchange visitor programs,
permanent residents of foreign jurisdictions, and stranded foreign nationals, or those leaving for medical and other humanitarian reasons may leave for abroad through any of the airports or seaports in the country. Provided that this provision shall not be interpreted to allow outbound travel by Filipinos to countries where travel restrictions are in place. Provided, further, that departing passengers may be accompanied by not more than one (1) person when traveling to any international port, who shall be allowed to return to his/her point of origin.

OFWs whether land-based or sea-based shall be allowed to be deployed abroad upon the execution of a Declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved as advised by the Philippine Government. For this purpose, recruitment and placement agencies shall likewise be allowed to operate in areas under MECQ, GCQ or MGCQ, subject to the observance of minimum health standards.

Further, government offices and agencies involved in the processing of their deployment are hereby directed to establish “Green Lanes” to enable their prompt processing and deployment. Further still,
to facilitate the ease of deployment, the OFWs and employees of these recruitment and placement agencies shall be allowed unhampered transit to and from appropriate government offices during MECQ, GCQ or MGCQ for the processing of their requirements and facilities such as airports, ferries, bus terminals, etc., notwithstanding any Local Government Unit pronouncement to the contrary. The said free access shall extend to the vehicles carrying the aforementioned individuals in order for them to reach
their final destination. No fee or any other requirement shall be imposed by LGUs in this regard.

Repatriated OFWs or returning non-OFWs who have been issued a DOH or LGU certificate of completion of fourteen (14)-day facility-based quarantine, those who may be required to undergo a mandatory fourteen (14)-day home quarantine, or those who are issued with travel authority upon testing negative for COVID-19 whichever is earlier, shall be granted unhampered transit across zones en route to their final destination in the Philippines. For this purpose, LGUs are enjoined to allow maritime vessels or aircraft
transporting the aforementioned OFWs and non-OFWs to dock or land at their ports of destination. No other requirement shall be imposed by LGUs in this regard.

GCQ-MGCQ and MGCQ-GCQ Movement

Movement for purposes that are not leisure oriented is allowed. Point of origin and destination of areas must be both in MGCQ status for movement with the purpose of leisure to happen.

GCQ to Area Under “New Normal”

Movement to and from an area placed under GCQ to an area where no community quarantine is in place is allowed only for non-leisure purposes. Thus the origin and destination of movement has to either be under MGCQ or New Normal status.

MGCQ to Area Under “New Normal”

  1. The movement of persons for any purpose across areas placed under MGCQ and areas where no community quarantine is in place shall be allowed. But if this is for tourism or leisure travel, it may still be subject to LGU regulations.

So check first with any guidelines or resolutions issued by the LGUs in the points of origin and destination before you travel for leisure purposes.

1 comment

  1. pwde po magtanong?tanong q Lang po regarding sa travel authority, july20 po Ang travel date namin.pero july21 po kami maka travel,ok Lang kaya yon?

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