The elderly will not be totally locked inside in their homes while the community quarantine is in effect in several parts of the country.
Senior citizens may still leave their homes for essential activities, including buying food and reporting for work, during the quarantine period based on a latest government decision.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management for Emerging Infectious Disease has approved certain exemptions to the home quarantine rule for the young, elderly, and those with health risks in quarantine areas following the appeals made by concerned sectors.
The latest guidelines for areas under enhanced community quarantine and general community quarantine, approved by President Duterte, were read by presidential spokesman Harry Roque in yesterday’s virtual press conference.
“Any person below 21-one-years-old, those who are sixty-years and above, those with immunodeficiency, co-morbidities, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who residents with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services or for work in permitted industries and office,” the IATF said.
Roque has assured that the older people will not be placed on house arrest but reminded them about their vulnerability during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Napakadaming lola na tumawag at sinasabi na kukurutin daw ang singit ko dahil kinukulong ang mga senior citizen. Mga lolo at lola, hindi totoo ‘yan dahil ang ating Presidente at karamihan sa Cabinet ay senior citizens,” he said.
“Hindi naman kayo completely kulong pero uulitin ko sa pag-aaral especially vulnerable ang elderly. Puwede kayo lumabas para kumuha ng essential goods and services at magtrabaho sa mga pinapayagang industriya,” he said.
Several lawmakers recently appealed to the government to relax its home quarantine rule on senior citizens, especially those who are healthy and productive during the quarantine period. They argued that some senior citizens should be allowed to do errands and work while observing physical distancing and other health precautions.
The Palace has recognized the concern raised about the plight of senior citizens and assured that this would be discussed by the task force last Wednesday.
The government earlier advised that people with ages 20 and below, 60 and above, as well as those with high health risks must stay at home in quarantined areas to avoid coronavirus infection.
Metro Manila, Cebu City, Davao City and other areas with high risk of coronavirus spread would remain under enhanced community quarantine until May 15.
The government, on other hand, has relaxed the quarantine restrictions in areas with moderate and low risk of coronavirus infection starting May 1. Public transportation at reduced capacity and certain industries and services will be allowed to operate under the general community quarantine subject to health protocols.
The government has also issued the guidelines for the transit of people and goods between areas under ECQ and GCQ and vice versa.
According to Roque, the non-essential entry and exit of people to and from the ECQ zone shall be prohibited with certain exemptions.
Among the exempted from interzonal movement restrictions are health workers, government officials and government frontline personnel, those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, persons transition to the airport for travel abroad, workers in permitted establishments and persons providing essential goods and services and public utilities, essential skeletal workforce, repatriated overseas Filipino workers and non-OFWs returning to their residences, and other persons transported through the national government efforts subject to quarantine protocols and concurrence with the local government units.
The movement of all types of cargoes by land, air, or sea within and across areas placed under ECQ or GCQ must also unhampered, Roque said.
He said workers in the logistics sectors such as cargo, trucking, and port operations will also be allowed to transit between ECQ and GCQ zones. The government, however, imposed a maximum limit of five personnel that may operate cargo and delivery vehicles by land with or without load.
Uniformed personnel and government workers for official business will be allowed to travel by land, air, or sea between the ECQ and GCQ zones.
The government has also allowed OFWs, permanent residents, and stranded foreigners to leave for abroad through any airports or seaports under ECQ or GCQ. Such provision however must “not be interpreted to allow outbound travel by Filipinos to countries where travel restrictions are in place.” The departing passengers may be accompanied by one person when traveling to any international port.
Repatriated OFWs or returning non-OFWs who completed facility-based quarantine or required to undergo mandatory 14-day home quarantine will also be allowed to pass across zones to their final destination in the country.
Local government units are enjoyed to allow maritime vessels or aircraft transporting Filipinos to dock or land at their ports of destination. (Argyll Geducos)
