Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan. CDN Digital photo | Futch Anthony Inso
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan has welcomed the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to no longer observe a mandatory quarantine to arriving passengers, who can avail of “green lanes,” in the Philippines.
The new protocol, however, shall only apply to fully vaccinated individuals who are qualified in the green lanes.
Aside from this, they should also present a negative result for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), 72 hours before they depart from the country of origin.
Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the new rules will take effect on October 14.
“Nindot na, I welcome that development. Mao gyud na atong gipangandoy nga unta kadtong fully vaccinated, upon entering our city, basta naka RT-PCR lang siya, negative lang ug fully vaccinated, para nako gi-welcome na nako kay dako kaayo na’g ikatabang sa atong mga turista,” Chan said.
(That is nice. I welcome that development. That is what we are wishing that those fully vaccinated individuals, upon entering our city, as long as they already had RT-PCR, negative and fully vaccinated, for mer I welcome that because that will be a big help to our tourists.)
Chan said that this development would boost the city’s economy, especially in the tourism industry.
In the new protocol, the passenger is only enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day.
Although, vaccinated Filipinos may also opt to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken in the quarantine facility upon arrival.
On Sept. 30, the IATF-EID released the updated roster of “green” countries and jurisdictions that shall take effect from Oct. 1 to 15.
Those included in the Green List are American Samoa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chad, China (mainland), Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Hungary, Madagascar, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of Netherlands), Saint Pierre, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Taiwan, Algeria, Bhutan, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niue, North Korea, Saint Helena, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
The task force, in its new guidelines, also shortened the quarantine period for unvaccinated individuals.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals, as well as those with unverified vaccination status and those vaccinated but failed to comply with the “test-before-travel requirements”, must undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on their fifth day in the country.
In the case of foreign nationals, they shall be required to secure hotel reservations for at least six days.
Originally, they are required to undergo quarantine for seven days and spend home quarantine for another seven days.
For unvaccinated or partially vaccinated minors traveling with their fully vaccinated parents or guardians are mandated to observe the quarantine protocols corresponding to their vaccination status.
Chan also expressed his support to the appeal of Ang Probinsyano Partylist Rep. Ronnie Ong to lift the quarantine and RT-PCR test requirements for vaccinated local and foreign tourists as long as they have a pre-booked accommodation and a pre-arranged itinerary.
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