Task force says those from three quarantine areas need travel authority to enter Tagaytay

September 17, 2020

After the sudden influx of tourists in Tagaytay City, Joint Task Force COVID Shield on Thursday reminded the public those who will be coming from areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), and Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) are still required to get travel authority.

Police Lt. General Guillermo Eleazar, JTF commander, said based on the omnibus guideline issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), only local government units under the modified GCQ status and no quarantine status are allowed to open their places for tourists.

The guidelines also stipulated that tourists who should be accommodated are those from MGCQ status and no quarantine status.

Eleazar said those who are from MGCQ areas and not under quarantine status and planning to visit other areas under MGCQ does not need to secure a travel authority.

Metro Manila, Batangas, Bulacan, Tacloban City and Bacolod City are under the GCQ. Iligan City is under ECQ.

Since Cavite is under MGCQ, tourists entering the province through Batangas and Metro Manila are required to present a travel authority at the border control checkpoints.

He said the National Task Force on COVID-19 is still giving the LGUs the discretion in implementing rules that would control the entry of non-local residents.

“LGUs may or may not require a travel authority for entering tourists. We leave the decision to them for as long the travel protocols are still observed when they open their borders to tourists,” he said.

Touristswent to Tagaytay City after Cavite decided to open the area as part of the move to revive its local economy. With this action, some LGUs are also planning to do the same.

Eleazar said they are  coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters  to tell police commanders to maintain coordination with their respective LGUs in terms of the entry of non-residents in their  areas of responsibility. Ella Dionisio/ DMS