PN File
The “No Antigen, No Entry” policy will soon be implemented only in municipalities under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as a requirement for inter-municipal travel.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Jeremias Alili told Palawan News Tuesday that the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (PIATF) passed a resolution during its meeting on Monday, June 28, recommending the antigen test to be implemented as a requirement only in towns under ECQ status.
“Nagkaroon ng resolution ang Provincial IATF na ang ‘No Antigen, No Entry’ policy ay kapag ang munisipyo ay nasa enhanced community quarantine. Pagdating doon sa below that classification [from] MECQ to MGCQ ay hindi ito dapat hanapin for inter-municipal travel,” Alili said.
“From inter-municipal travel ito. From ibang munisipyo papunta sa ibang munisipyo [o] galing ng Puerto Princesa City,” he added.
He also said the measure is still subject for the approval of the Regional IATF.
“Hihingiin natin ang [approval] ng Regional IATF. Immediately today ay ipapadala natin sa kanila ang kopya [ng resolution]. Kapag okay na ay ipapadala na ito sa mga Municipal IATFs for implementation,” he said.
At present, no town in Palawan is under ECQ.
He further stated that the efforts of the Local Government Units (LGU) in implementing strict border rules also helped the provincial government to lessen and contain the transmission of COVID-19.
“Ang aming pronouncement nakaraan ay we support the efforts of municipalities in containing ‘yong surge ng cases. In the matter of three weeks ay bumaba ang ating cases, from 800 ay ngayon 300 na lang. Nakatulong ng malaki ang No Antigen, No Entry. But sa ngayon na mababa na ang cases ay [ito ang i-implement],” he said.
In addition, Alili also said they still encourage the presence of checkpoints in municipalities as a border control measure.
He said they encourage the use of S-Pass as an alternative in lifting the No Antigen, No Entry Policy and that municipalities should also strengthen the contact tracing procedures.
“We still encourage na maglagay ng checkpoint pa rin and magkaroon sila ng mga alternatives sa pagtanggal ng policy requiring antigen. Pwede nila gamitin ang S-Pass at ang mas maayos na contact tracing procedure. That’s why hindi natin na nire-recommend na tanggaling ang checkpoints,” Alili said.
Alili said with the lifting of the No Antigen, No Entry Policy they still need the cooperation of the public by following the protocols set by the LGUs.
“Kailangan pa rin natin ang counterpart ng mamamayan or else babalik tayo sa dating sistema. Mas maganda na tuloy-tuloy ang suporta nila sa mga protocols na pinapatupad,” he said.