Stranded students or workers trapped since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and persons with indispensable travels can now move within Metro Manila or within their respective provinces, even without a travel authority.
In a press release dated June 2, Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar stated that locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and persons with indispensable travels like medical and family emergencies will no longer be required to present a travel authority if moving within the National Capital Region (NCR) or within a province.
The decision was based on the instruction of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año who earlier said that travel authority will only be required if the travels are outside Metro Manila or outside the provinces. Local police commanders will be in charge of issuing the travel authority.
“Since we are now implementing general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ and also indispensable travels are similar to the case of the LSIs, then travels within NCR and within the province shall be permitted without the travel authority. For those whose travel is outside Metro Manila, the issuance of the travel authority is delegated to the district directors,” said Eleazar.
Those who intend to travel outside NCR must get a travel authority from any of the five police districts in Metro Manila: the Quezon City Police District, Manila Police District, Eastern Police District, Northern Police District and Southern Police District.
For people in the provinces, travel authority for cross border journeys of LSIs and emergency trips may be secured from:
- chiefs of city and municipal police stations for travel outside the province but within the region;
- district directors, provincial directors and city for travels outside the regions;
- higher issuing authorities like police regional directors and the PNP Directorate for Operations
To apply for a travel authority, a person needs a certification from the baranggay captain saying that he/she did not have any COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days before travel, and a medical clearance from the city or municipal health office. These requirements will be submitted to the help desk of the nearest police station. Once approved, the travel authority can be picked up or the soft copy be sent via e-mail, Messenger, or Viber.
Meanwhile, Eleazar also reminded the public to stay within their local areas when buying basic necessities because unnecessary travel is still a violation of quarantine protocols under GCQ and MGCQ. He said that policemen and soldiers manning quarantine checkpoints were briefed about the travel protocols and will be on the lookout for persons committing unauthorized travels.
