In recent days, tourist spots in Tagaytay have reopened its doors to local tourists after Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla earlier said that travelers do not need a travel pass to visit, because the province is under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), the least strict level of lockdown.
But tourists shouldn’t head there just yet, as the chief of Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield reminds the public that a travel pass is not needed only if you are coming from an MGCQ area and going to another MGCQ area.
In cases where the origin and destination have different quarantine levels, a travel pass/travel authority must still be secured from the chief of police.
In an interview with broadcast journalist Karen Davila on ANC’s Headstart, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar cited existing guidelines from the inter-agency task force.
“It is provided in the Omnibus Guideline of the IATF that the local government unit, kung ikaw ay nasa MGCQ, pwede ka na mag-declare na permitted na ang pagpasok even for tourism. But kailangan na ang panggaggalingan nun (tourists) ay galling din sa MGCQ,” he said.
This means that tourists coming from Metro Manila, Bulacan and Batangas – areas still under GCQ – should get the required travel authority. To get the pass, travelers must present a health certificate and coordinate with the local government of their destination.
Under existing guidelines from the national task force, only workers and authorized persons outside residence (APOR) are allowed to travel outside Metro Manila.
“What we are trying to prevent is the influx of unauthorized tourists in Tagaytay. I know na sinasabing medyo hassle iyan, but the point is this is a control measure na ginagawa natin kasi nasa GCQ pa ang Metro Manila,” Eleazar stressed.
Despite this restriction, Eleazar clarified that the decision whether or not to require travel authority for arriving tourists depends on the LGU itself.
“Gusto ko linawin, the discretion of permitting these (tourists) to enter without travel authority, is nasa LGU na. Ipinauubaya po sa LGU ngayon kung okay na papasukin,” he said.
