Cargoes, trucks can pass control points even if these have no Rapid Pass System code

April 8, 2020

The Philippine National Police on Wednesday assured cargo and truck owners that their driver and personnel can still pass through the newly-established Dedicated Control Points (DCPs) even if they don’t have Rapid Pass System code.

“For cargo vehicles, there will be no problem… all kinds of vehicle, jeepney or van as long as it has cargo whether essential or non-essential items it can pass through DCPs,”aaid  Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, JTF CoViD Shield commander, in a TV interview.

Eleazar also said cargo trucks will not be stopped by local police personnel manning Quarantine Control Points (QCPs).

“We will let the trucks pass  but we will still check the delivery personnel based on protocols which is social distancing and temperature,” he said.

Eleazar said Rapid Pass QR code will only be used by people who are included in the list of Authorized Personnel Outside Residence (APOR) instead of using their special identification cards.

Last week,

the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) launched the Rapid Pass System that was conceptualized to better enforce social distancing and speed up passage of vehicles and people at the checkpoints.

Eleazar urged truck owners to give them feedback on their situation on checkpoints.

In the same interview, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the order of Secretary Eduardo Ano allowing cargo and delivery trucks to  pass through checkpoints nationwide is very clear.

“To help the (trucking) sector, barangay checkpoints are not allowed at provincial roads and national highways… he (Ano) ordered for the removal of those checkpoints… if you barangay officials harass you, report it to DILG and PNP and within 10 minutes that checkpoint will be removed,” Malaya said.

Based on the latest Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield (JTF CoViD Shield) data, there were 115 DCPs set up across the country while there were 3,593 QCPs established.

Eleazar said if QCPs and DCPs are in one place, the two control points may co-exist in close proximity depending on the coordination between the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and the local police.

“But regardless of the location, this rule applies: DCPs shall inspect cargo vehicles and not the non-cargo vehicles; QCPs shall inspect non-cargo vehicles, not the cargo vehicles,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS