Resolution No. 79 s 2020 amended the definition of terms for the following:
Interzonal movement – the movement of people, goods and services between provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities under different community quarantine classification. For this purpose, the National Capital Region shall be considered as one area. Provided that movements to and from areas under granular lockdowns shall be considered as interzonal movement even if within the same province or highly urbanized city.
Intrazonal movement – the movement of people, goods and services between provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities under the same community quarantine classification, without transiting through an area placed under a different classification. For this purpose, the National Capital Region shall be considered as one area.
Who are the APORs?
Further amendments in IATF Res. No. 79 s 2020 list down who the APORs are. They are:
- health and emergency frontline services personnel
- government officials and government frontline personnel
- duly-authorized humanitarian assistance actors (HAAs)
- persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons
- persons going to the airport for travel abroad
- anyone crossing zones for work or business permitted in the zone of destination, and going back home
- returning or repatriated OFWs and other Overseas Filipinos (OFs) returning to their places of residence
- 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
The Philippine National Police (PNP) are authorized to promulgate and regularly update the list of APORs.
IATF Resolution No. 79. As of this writing, we still have not found any infographics or listing from PNP on their list/updated list, if any, on APORs.
Updated Travel Protocols
Based on IATF Resolution No. 101 series of 2021 released on February 26, 2021, the IATF approved protocols on travel prepared by the DILG. These are the ff:
- Strict implementation of minimum public health standards which include physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and wearing of face masks and face shield among others. Traveler shall be subjected to clinical and exposure assessment in all ports of entry and exit supervised by medical doctors.
- Testing shall not be mandatory for traveler except if the LGU of destination (province with respect to their municipalities and component cities, and highly urbanized cities [HUCs] and independent component cities [ICCs]) will require testing as a requirement prior to travel, and such shall be limited to RT-PCR; and No traveler shall be required to undergo quarantine unless they exhibit symptoms upon arrival at the LGU of destination.
- Travel Authority issued by Joint Task Force COVID Shield and health certificates shall no longer be required;
- Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) from national government agencies and their attached agencies must provide their identification card, travel order, and travel itinerary, and must pass symptom-screening at ports of entry and exit pursuant to IATF Resolution No. 98-A issued on February 4, 2021.
- The Safe, Swift, and Smart Passage (S-PaSS) Travel Management System of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) shall be institutionalized as the one-stop-shop application/communication for travelers. For this purpose, a focal person from the province with respect to their municipalities and component cities, and from HUCs and ICCs shall be assigned.
- The StaySafe.ph System shall be utilized as the primary contact tracing system. Traze App for airports, and such other existing contact tracing applications must be integrated with the StaySafe.ph System following IATF Resolution No. 85 issued on November 25, 2020.
These uniform travel protocols shall be applicable to all LGUs and may be further refined and/or amended jointly by the DILG, DOH, DOT, DOTr, DOST, and the PNP, without further need of an IATF issuance. For this purpose, the aforementioned agencies as well as other identified agencies, and the local government units are enjoined to ensure smooth implementation of these protocols.
So there may be further amendments without need of an IATF issuance. Read IATF Resolution No. 101 s 2021 here.
What about Non-APORs?
If you are not in the list of APORs, then obviously you are classified as Non-APOR. Still based on IATF Res. No. 79 s 2020, Non-APOR guidelines on inter- and intra-zonal travel are outlined:
If you are non-APOR and moving from a GCQ area to an MGCQ area, MGCQ to New Normal (both inter- and intra-zonal movement) or vice-versa for any purpose, this is allowed but subject to the reasonable regulations of the Local Government Unit or LGU.
Therefore, your requirements will be subject to the requirements of both your LGU of origin and the LGU of destination. Please check on the requirements and guidelines issued by the LGU — the city or municipality, region or barangay of origin and destination.
For more information
If you need to get more details on travel requirements, it is best you do the following:
- Check with LGU Public Information Office (PIO) – your City/Municipal/Barangay Halls via social media accounts, website, or call their offices.
- Check with the Ports of Entry/Exit — airports and seaports — social media accounts, website, or call their offices.
With more power given to the LGUs in crafting their reasonable travel regulations, they are the best if not only source for more detailed and accurate information.