Travel passes will still be needed when crossing provincial borders once general community quarantine (GCQ) takes effect on June 1, according to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
During a televised address on Thursday night, Año reported to President Duterte the guidelines that will be placed during the implementation of the more lenient GCQ.
“Magiging mahigpit pa rin tayo sa mga provincial borders. Travel pass na lang po para sa pag daan niya from one province to another o kaya ay from one region to another… makikita po natin na may kabuluhan talaga ang nabibibiyahe at hindi siya nagbibiyahe lang para sa leisure lang,” Año said.
However, Año said that quarantine passes will no longer be required when moving within GCQ areas.
“Within the province po hindi na kailangan yung ini-isyu na mga barangay quarantine pass,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Año also said that authorities will implement modified checkpoints in strategic areas in order to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
“Magkakaron din po kami ng mga pagbabago katulad ng modified checkpoints ang ating ipatutupad. Meron po tayong mga mobile at spot checkpoints at ito ay nandito sa mga strategic locations para hindi po magkabuhol-buhol ang trapiko,” he added.
Año earlier said that quarantine passes will no longer be needed when going out to buy essential goods and services in areas under GCQ but stressed that movement should be limited to essential travel.
“Kailangan pa rin ‘yung tinatawag natin na essential no. Kasi, it doesn’t mean na pwede na… ay lahat pwede nang lumabas no. Sinabi lang natin na pwede na silang makaikot-ikot kasi ang ibig sabihin nun, essential,” Año said.
Metro Manila and several other areas in Luzon will transition to GCQ starting June 1.