PNP: Persons traveling between provinces, regions need TA

SAFEGUARDING THE HOMES. While PNP Quarantine CheckPoints remain in areas, the PNP directorate for operations has instructed their men to bar any LSI or intra regional traveler from passing without presenting a travel authority to prove he is no COVID-19 carrier. (PIABohol)   

CORTES, Bohol, June 8 (PIA) -- According to the Guidelines on the Movement of People under General Community Quarantine and Modified Community Quarantine issued by the Philippine National Police Directorate on Operations, travel to another province or other region, be it for indispensable travel by locally stranded inviduals (LSI) needs a travel authority (TA).

With the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) manning the Quarantine Checkpoints (QCP) across the country’s areas in community quarantines, the guideline provides for the health safety protocols that must still be observed, said Police Major General Emmanuel Luis D. Licup, police director for operations.

Licup said the additional guidelines on the movement of people have been issued as some people may misinterpret the GCQ and MGCQ implementation to mean that they could already enjoy the freedom of travel and movement before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Persons on non-essential travels, whether from GCQ to MGCQ areas and vice-versa or from one province to another, or from one region to another region, must secure a TA, the memorandum stated.

According to the memo, TA can be issued as soon as the person who will travel can present a Barangay Certification from the Barangay Chairman stating that the person who wants to travel has not developed any COVID-19 symptoms in the last 14 days before the travel request.

This certification from the Barangay Chairman will serve as the endorsement to the city or Municipal Health Office to conduct medical examination on the person who will travel.

On the other hand, the person who will travel would need the Medical Clearance Certificate from the City or Municipal Health Office, and this would be given after the health officer has ascertained the health condition of the person who will travel.

Once the person to travel has secured the needed Medical Clearance Certificate from the City or Municipal Health, or from a Department of Health-accredited hospital or medical institution, he would have two options. 

First, he could submit the Medical Clearance Certificate to the Barangay Chairman, who in turn would facilitate the processing which includes coordination with the local government unit of destination, or he could submit the Medical Clearance Certificate to the Help Desk at the Municipal or City Police Station.

A personnel assigned at the Help Desk, upon the authority of the Chief of Police, will initiate the processing which also includes the same coordination with the LGU of destination through the local police station.

As to the issuance of TA by the different PNP Command Levels, the memorandum states that the town or city chief of police are authorized to sign the travel between provinces within the region, through a delegated authority on behalf of the Provincial Director.

As to travel between regions, the Provincial Directors, Deputy Director or City Directors are authorized to sign the TA through a delegated authority on behalf of the Regional Director.

The memo also said that higher issuing authorities may also issue TAs.

The said commanders supervise their chiefs of police on the functionality of their respective Help Desks to ensure that the requests for TA are immediately processed and properly coordinated with the LGU destination. 

With this, the PNP Director has ordered personnel manning QCPs to exercise maximum tolerance in the implementation of the quarantine rules while ensuring that all those who travel without the necessary travel authority would be barred from passing the manned checkpoints. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1044083