“Can I travel from one GCQ area to another?” And other Interzonal travel Questions Answered

June 7, 2020874 views0

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 43, Series of 2020, amending the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, was approved on June 3, 2020, during the 43^rd IATF Meeting.

Amended Guidelines for Interzonal and Intrazonal Movement

Under the said resolution, here are the amendments that explain what type of travel are allowed going to and from areas under GCQ/MGCQ:

People in GCQ areas are allowed to go to and from another area where no community quarantine is in place EXCEPT for the sole purpose of leisure.

In addition, those in MGCQ areas are also allowed to move to and from an area where no community quarantine is in place. However, as for tourism travel, the same may still be subject to regulations of the Local Government Unit (LGU) concerned.

Can I move from One GCQ/MGCQ area to another?

Furthermore, to answer the public’s questions on whether they’re allowed to travel across areas under any form of community quarantine, here’s the list of persons permitted to move within and across the said areas as per the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines:

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
Returning or Repatriated OFWs and other Overseas Filipinos (OFs) returning to their places of residence
Persons transported through the efforts of the national government upon the observance of necessary quarantine protocols and with the concurrence of the receiving LGUs.
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.
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 0r sea-based shall be allowed to be deployed abroad upon the execution of a Declaration signifying their knowledge of the risks involved as advised by the Philippine Government. RELATED ARTICLE: IATF: Land and Sea-based OFWs Allowed for Deployment Abroad
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, and those who are issued with travel authority upon testing negative for COVID-19, 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.