Travel pass, curfews still in effect in places under GCQ – Año

May 31, 2020

The Department of Interior and Local Government on Sunday said travel pass and curfews will remain despite placing Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon under general community quarantine (GCQ).

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said those who need to cross to another province are required to secure a travel pass except for work-related undertakings while residents do not need quarantine pass when leaving their houses unless the Local Government Units (LGUs) require it in critical and buffer zones or when required by local conditions.

Though residents will now be allowed to go out, Año said this is not all the time as curfews are still being implemented.

“Quarantine pass is no longer required when you are going out your house but this is not 'unli' that you go out whenever you want. Curfew hours will still be implemented,” he said.

“Mayors should, therefore, announce thru their official social media accounts or whatever means if quarantine pass is still required in their areas,” he said.

Año said unnecessary travels that include buying of food products in other communities when the same products are available in their communities are still deemed violations of the quarantine protocols under GCQ.

The secretary said the purpose of lifting the requirement for quarantine passes and easing restrictions is to be able to slowly restart our economy from the more than two-month enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) imposed in many areas of the country without compromising health protocols.

“The country’s economy is hurting badly, many businesses have closed down and our people are finding it difficult to fend for their families having no source of income for the past two months. We need to reopen the economy without setting aside health protocols if we want to survive this pandemic as a people,” he said.

Año said the easing of restrictions in Metro Manila and in other areas in the country means those under GCQ will now see many industries opening up to its 100 percent functionality, but this does not mean that everything is back to normal.

“Although some restrictions will be relaxed, this does not mean that we can all go out leisurely and go about our day. We will still ask if your purpose of going out is essential or only for leisure,” he said.

DILG reiterated that going across provinces and other regions across the country will still require travel passes which can be applied at the help desk of the nearest Philippine National Police (PNP) station provided he has a medical certificate from the Municipal/City Health Office.

Exempted from travel passes are those who need to cross provincial and regional borders to pursue work-related matters.

The PNP will also set-up random checkpoints across Metro Manila but will impose stricter control on regional and provincial borders.

Its Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) will conduct random and mobile checkpoints through its “Oplan Habol” and “Oplan Sita” where motorcycle-riding patrollers roam around to check for “unauthorized persons outside residence” (UPOR) or violators in private vehicles, different from the usual fixed checkpoints.

Currently, there are 4,354 QCPs and 115 Dedicated Control Points (for cargo vehicles) across the country. Ella Dionisio/DMS