LGUs should follow policy allowing only vaccinated foreigners into country, DOH says
MANILA, Philippines — Local government units should follow the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases' policy allowing only fully-vaccinated foreign nationals into the country, the Department of Health said Friday.
The DOH issued the reminder after the Cebu provincial government issued an order allowing unvaccinated foreign travelers in beginning March 1.
In a briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the provincial government had not consulted the agency about its policy. The DOH is chair of the task force.
"Let me just remind all local governments ‘yung mga binabalangkas na mga panukala o protocols ng IATF ito ay isang mandato sa bawat isa sa LGUs na sumunod dahil kailangan ‘yung protocols natin ipatutupad nationally so we can continuously protect our borders and we can prevent the further transmission of disease,” Vergeire said.
(Let me just remind all local governments that it is their mandate to follow the policies or protocols of the IATF because our protocols need to be implemented nationally so we can continuously protect our borders and we can prevent the further transmission of disease.)
Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said Thursday that the national government needs to talk to the Cebu provincial government.
Under the directive of Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated foreign nationals only need to present negative RT-PCR test result taken within 48 hours.
They will be swabbed upon arrival at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and will undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of another RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day of quarantine.
The order also “strongly encouraged” foreign travelers to be vaccinated with single-dose Janssen vaccine during their stay in the province.
Garcia had previously locked horns with national government officials over COVID-19 protocols. — Gaea Katreena Cabico with a report from The Freeman/Le Phyllis F. Antojado
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