Iloilo City nixes RT-PCR testing, flight caps

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

Those who wish to travel to Iloilo City from other parts of the country amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may do so with ease after the city government announced on Monday that the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing will no longer be required.

The passengers will be picked up from the Iloilo International Airport by their household members.

Upon their arrival at their homes, they will be placed under 14-day mandatory home quarantine.

They will also be monitored by their respective Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) during the quarantine period.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas told Daily Guardian via phone interview that should they wish to take RT-PCR tests in the city, they may avail of the city government’s free testing program or at accredited private facilities at their own expense.

The city government’s testing is done at the Jubilee Hall in City Proper, while the paid accredited testing is done at the QualiMed Hospital in Mandurriao district and the Metro Iloilo Hospital at Jaro district.

The city government had already experimented on abandoning the RT-PCR requirement for passengers starting Oct 12, Treñas said.

He said the decision to do away with the testing requirements is due to complaints from city residents in Manila regarding the price of testing at private hospitals there.

The only requirements needed by passengers would be a Travel Authority to be issued by the regional Philippine National Police (PNP) office in the region where they are currently staying in, and a notice of coordination and acceptance through the Iloilo City-Emergency Operations Center (IC-EOC).

In addition to the tests, Treñas said they will also drop the 150-passenger maximum cap on airline flights as the number of plane passengers cannot reach the limit.

Airlines will still be required to coordinate with the IC-EOC on the schedule of flights and other relevant information, and to provide a flight manifest with the complete details of all passengers for each trip.

The Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center may be reached through the following contact details:

-Iloilo City EOC Hotlines: 09291706363/09156516368/09190662333/(033) 323-4973/(033) 333-4333/(033)333-1333;

-Email address: covidtgopceniloilo@gmail.com.

Treñas said that these new relaxed rules would only be applicable to Locally Stranded Individuals (LSI), Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROF), and Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR).

Tourists are still not allowed to travel to the city.

Other places in the Philippines, like Boracay Island in Aklan, have already allowed for domestic tourism, subject to an RT-PCR requirement 72 hours before their scheduled trip.

“This is only for the residents of the city such as the LSIs and the ROFs, and the APORs. We’re still not opening up to the tourists. The reason why we’re also not having this [testing] requirement anymore is that they’re already residents of the city. This is an opportunity for them to come back,” the mayor said.

The mayor said that should passengers contract COVID-19, they will immediately be taken to the city’s quarantine facilities.

In a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and airline companies, Treñas said he will allow travel of all persons to and from Iloilo City subject to the health protocols imposed by the City Government upon their arrival.”

Treñas said he also lifted restrictions on passenger capacity of airlines.

The undersigned further qualifies that there will no longer be any restrictions as to passenger capacity per airline nor limitations to the offer of flight accommodations. Hence, all airline companies are hereby informed that travel of persons bound for Iloilo City will be allowed, regardless of purpose, whether traveling as APOR (Authorized Person Outside Residence) or non-APOR, and with no limitations as to passenger capacity,” he added.

The easing of restrictions on air travel is in consonance with the recent guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on October 15, 2020, easing the movement of persons traveling to areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) as that in Iloilo City.

“The new policy provided herein allows our fellow llonggos to return home and be reunited with their families. It would likewise complement the programs aimed at rebuilding our local economy, to bring back lost jobs and livelihoods. The ease in travel movements, however, do not mean that we will be relaxing our health standards. We will continue to enforce the safety protocols and enhanced hygiene measures we have set in place,” Treñas said.