Police task force clarifies: Travel authority still a requirement

MANILA, Philippines — The Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield clarified on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, that travel authority is still a requirement for stranded individuals as well as emergency travelers who would need to cross provincial and regional borders during the coronavirus quarantine.

“The Joint Task Force COVID Shield wants to clarify that Travel Authority has been and will remain a requirement for people who are not included in the list of the Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) if the travels involve crossing the border of Metro Manila, of a province and of a Highly-Urbanized City (HUC) even if most parts of the country is now under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ),” JTF COVID Shield commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said in a statement.

Eleazar issued the statement after a photo quote stated that travel authority is not needed for people going to Metro Manila or other provinces.

“The current disinformation on social media, referring to a ‘social card,’ did not come from the JTF COVID Shield and was already circulated a few months ago. But it is now being used again to make it appear that it is a new declaration from the JTF COVID Shield purposely to confuse the public and eventually discredit the efforts being made by the national government to contain the spread of the coronavirus,” he said.

The movement of locally stranded individuals and emergency travelers are also subjected to the rules and regulations of local government units, Eleazar also noted.

Here are the steps to secure travel authority:

– A Medical Clearance Certificate from the City or Municipal Health Office;

– The Medical Clearance Certificate must be submitted to the City or Municipal Task Force on COVID-19 through the Local Police Help Desks;

– Coordination will be made by the City or Municipal task force with the receiving LGUs for the date of the travel;

– The City or Municipal Task Force on COVID-19, through the local police where the application for travel is submitted, will release the Travel Authority indicating the date of the travel and other pertinent details.

Eleazar, meanwhile, reminded APORs are not required to get travel authority but they must show identification cards or documents to pass checkpoints or border control checkpoints.

Travel pass was issued to control the entry of people in other areas which will curb the further spread of coronavirus disease.

JE