Joint Task Force Covid Shield commander, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. (Screengrab from Laging Handa briefing)
MANILA – As the government continues to ease travel restrictions, the Philippine National Police (PNP) would issue a Travel Pass-through Permit (TPP) to those traveling to an unrestricted area but pass through a restricted area.
In a Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday, Joint Task Force Covid Shield head, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said there would be no requirements needed in getting a TPP.
"Pupunta ka lang sa police station and then bibigyan ka ng TPP. Hindi kailangan ng medical certificate. Hindi kailangan ng koordinasyon sa pupuntahan mo (Just go to the police station and they would give you a TPP. No need for a medical certificate. No need for prior coordination with the place where you are going)," he said.
He said the document would be presented to policemen manning the quarantine control points, or border control checkpoints, to allow them to pass through local government units (LGUs) with 'restricted status'.
Areas under restricted status still require travelers to present a travel authority while areas under unrestricted status allow travelers to enter freely without this document.
“If your destination as well the areas where you will pass through do not require a travel authority, it is fine. You don't need a TPP. But if your destination doesn't require travel authority but you are passing through restricted areas where security is heightened, you need a TPP,” Eleazar said.
The TPP and travel authority are applicable in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) and the modified GCQ.
He, however, said the TPP does not apply in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) earlier lifted travel restrictions for all local travels to revive the economy which was badly affected by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, also vice chairman of the National Task Force on Covid-19, has been supportive of gradual reopening of the economy, saying there should be a proper balance between reviving the economy and the need to continuously protect the Filipino people from the Covid-19.
Eleazar, however, said while the IATF has eased travel restrictions, the LGUs which would not require a travel authority, are still given the authority to implement reasonable health safety protocols both for authorized persons outside of residence (APORs) and non-APORs that include triage and quarantine procedures.
“May mga LGU tayo na nagre-require pa rin ng travel authority kung tayo po ay pupunta doon sa alamin po natin ang inyong destinasyon ang munisipyo at syudad na pupuntahan. Alamin kung ano ang sitwasyon doon at alamin din yung mga dadaanan (We still have LGUs that require a travel authority. Let us take the time to know the policy of our destination towns or cities. Let's be updated on the situation there as well as the areas where we would pass through),” he said.
The following is a list of the unrestricted provinces which means that travel authority even for non-APOR, including locally stranded individuals is no longer needed:
-National Capital Region (NCR)
-Ifugao
-Pangasinan
-Dagupan City
-Nueva Vizcaya
-Bulacan
-Nueva Ecija
-Pampanga
-Angeles City
-Batangas
-Cavite
-Laguna
-Quezon
-Rizal
-Lucena City
-Occidental Mindoro
-Palawan
-Albay
-Camarines Sur
-Masbate
-Naga City
-Antique
-Capiz
-Iloilo City
-Bacolod City
-Cebu
-Negros Oriental
-Cebu City
-Mandaue City, Cebu
-Lapu-lapu City, Cebu
-Biliran
-Samar
-Southern Leyte
-Tacloban City
-Cagayan de Oro City
-Davao Oriental
-Davao City
-South Cotabato
-General Santos City
-Agusan del Norte
-Butuan City
-Maguindanao
-Sulu
Other provinces not included in the list remain to be restricted which means travel authority is needed.
The areas on the list below are the restricted municipalities or cities within an unrestricted province in which TPP is needed.
Ifugao
-Aguinaldo
-Alfonso Lista
-Asipulo
-Banaue
-Hingyon
-Hungduan
-Kiangan
-Lagawe
-Mayoyao
-Tinoc
Pangasinan
-Bani
-Bautista
-Bayambang
-Burgos
-Calasiao
-Natividad
-Santa Barbara
-Santo Tomas
Nueva Vizcaya
-Alfonso Castañeda
-Ambaguio
-Aritao
-Bagabag
-Dupax del Norte
Bulacan
-Angat
-Balagtas
-Bustos
-Calumpit
-Guiguinto
-Norzagaray
-Pandi
-Pulilan
-San Rafael
-Santa Maria
Batangas
-Balete
-Padre Garcia
-San Jose
Cavite
-Kawit
Laguna
-Alaminos
-Lumban
-Mabitac
-Magdalena
-Majayjay
-Nagcarlan
-Sta. Maria
Quezon
-Buenavista
-Burdeos
-Macalelon
-Mauban
-Mulanay
-Plaridel
-San Andres
Rizal
-Jalajala
-Tanay
Palawan
-Araceli
-Cagayancillo
-Coron
-Sofronio Espanola
Albay
-Camalig
-Guinobatan
-Pio Duran
-Rapu-rapu
-Tabaco City
-Tiwi
Camarines Sur
-Buhi
-Nabua
-Ragay
Masbate
-Dimasalang
-Masbate City
-Milagros
-Monreal
Antique
-Barbaza
-Caluya
Capiz
-Cuartero
-Dumalag
-Dumarao
-Panay
Cebu
-Bantayan
-Carmen
-San Remegio
Negros Oriental
-Dauin
-Dumaguete City
-Manjuyod
Southern Leyte
-Maasin City
Sulu
-Tapul
(PNA)
