NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
In a bid to slowly bring back the economy, the province will implement a simplified health protocol effective Dec. 1, 2020.
Gov. Arthur Yap signed Executive Order 54, simplifying and unifying the guidelines for sea and air travels to Bohol for locally stranded individuals (LSIs), returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), and authorized persons outside residence (APORs); and adopting new quarantine protocols.
EO 54 takes effect on December 1 and shall continue to be in effect until repealed or modified.
It provides for new travel protocols and a uniform quarantine protocols in the city and municipal LGUs throughout the province
NEW QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS
EO 54 also adopts Resolution 007 of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Bohol Chapter entitled, A Resolution Recommending New Health Measures and Health Protocols for ROFs, LSIs, OFWs, and APORs Entering into the Province of Bohol.
In the new protocols, ROFs, LSIs, and OFWs entering the province without undergoing a PCR Test not more than 72-hours prior to their arrival or upon their arrival in the province shall undergo 14-day quarantine in an approved government quarantine facility. ROFs, LSIs, and OFWs may undergo quarantine in a private quarantine facility for the same period of 14-days, provided, that, the ROFs, LSIs, and OFWs are the sole occupants of their homes and upon approval by the Rural Health Unit (RHU) with the endorsement of the Chief Executive of the local government unit.
ROFs, LSIs, and OFWs entering the province after having undergone a PCR Test not more than 72hours prior to their arrival, if test results are negative, may be allowed to undergo quarantine in a private quarantine facility for a period of 10 days, provided, that, said ROF, LSI, or OFW shall be isolated in a private room away from the rest of the occupants of the household and upon approval by the Rural Health Unit (RHU) with the endorsement of the Chief Executive of the local government unit.
ROFs, LSIs, and OFWs entering the province after having undergone a PCR Test upon their arrival or anytime during his/her stay in the quarantine facility, upon release of their results, and with a negative result and asymptomatic, may be allowed to undergo quarantine in a private quarantine facility for a period of 10days, provided, that, said ROF, LSI, or OFW may be isolated in a private room away from the rest of the occupants of the household and upon approval by the Rural Health Unit (RHU), with the endorsement of the Chief Executive of the local government unit, provided, finally, that said persons shall be confined in a government quarantine facility pending release of their PCR Test Results.
These ROFs, LSIs, or OFWs shall be endorsed and monitored by the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT).
An APOR shall undergo a PCR Test not more than 72 hours prior to his/her arrival in the province, and if test results are negative, he/she may be permitted to go only to specified place/s for the purpose of his/her visit and is discouraged to go anywhere outside of specified areas and limit interaction with individuals other than those directly involved in the purpose of his/her visit, provided, that, if he/she shall stay for more than five days he/she shall undergo a repeat PCR Test on the fifth day and shall remain in the quarantine facility until he/she receives a negative result.
TRAVEL PROTOCOLS
In EO 54, all domestic commercial flights shall be allowed subject to the condition that they will only transport LSIs, ROFs, and APORs with complete travel documents required.
Tourism-related travels shall be governed by a separate issuance that the governor will issue.
EO 54, which the governor signed on Nov. 20, also repeals the requirement for any passenger or traveler to obtain clearance from the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF).
Every passenger or traveler shall only coordinate with the component city or municipality for the issuance of the corresponding certificate of confirmation subject to their respective quarantine and testing protocols.
For domestic flights, all aircraft carrier operators whose aircraft carriers will in Bohol are required to observe the following protocols: all operators of domestic aircraft carriers transporting persons to the Province of Bohol shall make available hand sanitizers and other disinfectants at conspicuous places like check-in counters for passengers; and protective face masks shall also be provided when needed;
For LSIs boarding aircraft carriers flying to Bohol, they are required to present upon check-in at the airport of origin the following, together with their confirmed plane tickets: travel authority from the PNP JTF Covid Shield and letter of confirmation from the LGU of residence in Bohol.
The APORs allowed are those health and government frontline services personnel, government officials and government frontline personnel, duly authorized humanitarian assistance actors, persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, persons going to the airport for travel abroad, anyone crossing zones for work or business permitted in the zone of destination, and going back home, and returning or repatriated overseas Filipino workers and other overseas Filipinos returning to their places of residence, and other persons transported through the efforts of the national government.
Upon check-in, these APORs boarding aircraft carriers flying to any of the local government unit within Bohol shall, together with their confirmed round trip plane tickets and certification of confirmation from the receiving LGUs, must present the following: for health and emergency frontline service personnel- -PRC license, official ID, hospital identification card, or any other proof of their occupation; for government officials and government frontline personnel- -official ID of their office; for persons traveling for medical reasons- -certificate from the local chief executive of the LGU having jurisdiction over his or her residence as well as medical certificate; for persons traveling for humanitarian reasons- – certificate from the local chief executive of the LGU having jurisdiction over his or her residence; for persons traveling to Bohol for permitted work- -company ID and certificate of employment from their employer stating that they are still connected with the company; for owners of business establishments permitted to operate in Bohol, including going back home- -certificate from the local chief executive of the LGU having jurisdiction over his or her residence; for persons traveling to Bohol for connecting flights abroad- -confirmed plane tickets and proof of their residence or work abroad; and for other professionals in permitted professions- -proof of their profession and a document reflecting the purpose of their travel.
For OFWs and ROFs boarding aircrafts on their way to Bohol- -upon check-in, they are required to present, together with their confirmed plane tickets and certification of confirmation from the receiving LGU, the following: appropriate identification as OFW or certificate from Overseas Workers Welfare Administration for OFWs; and any proof of residence for ROFs.
Persons with incomplete documents shall not be allowed to board the aircraft.
During check-in, they shall then submit themselves for temperature checking using a thermal gun.
Other visible symptoms such as, but not limited to, fever, cough, colds body weakness, and difficulty in breathing shall also be checked.
Passengers showing such symptoms shall not be allowed to board the aircraft carrier bound for Bohol.
While en route to Bohol, passengers shall be required to fill up a Passenger Personal Health Declaration Form (PPHDF).
The accomplished PPHDF shall be collected in-flight by designated airline personnel and turned over to the Department of Health and the Bureau of Quarantine in Bohol.
No person shall be allowed to deplane until he or she was able to submit a PPHDF.
If during the flight, a passenger becomes symptomatic of the Covid-19, he or she shall be isolated during the flight at the tail end of the aircraft. Upon arrival in Bohol, he or she shall be accompanied to the designated holding areas by ground personnel and turned over to the BoQ for assessment.
The symptomatic person shall deplane last.
No passenger shall be allowed to leave the airport premises without being received by the corresponding extracting team from the receiving LGU or accredited accommodation facilities.
The aircraft operator shall submit regular report to the Provincial Government of Bohol reflecting the number of persons entering Bohol with the dates of entry and exit to the province.
EO 54 also provides for specific sea travel protocols where public marine transportation shall operate within the MGCQ zone in accordance with Marina Advisory 2020-29 dated April 30, 2020 entitled “Guidelines on the resumption of operation of passenger ships in areas under GCQ and ECQ, and such other guidelines issued by the DOTr and/or Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
In line with this, passenger vessels and ferry operators shall observe the following protocols: observe the list of routes and their corresponding rates prescribed by the MARINA; shall only be allowed to carry 50 percent of their regular on-board capacity provided that passengers shall, at all times during the voyage, observe the one-meter-distance physical distance requirement which will be ensured by placing visible markings drawn or installed where passengers and crew sit, gather, and converge; upon check-in, passengers shall submit themselves for temperature checking using the using a thermal gun.
Other visible symptoms such as, but not limited to, fever, cough, colds body weakness, and difficulty in breathing shall also be checked.
Passengers showing such symptoms shall not be allowed to board the passenger vessel.
All passenger vessels and ferry operators ferrying passengers shall provide their each passenger with a Passenger Personal Health Declaration Form (PPHDF). All passengers must fill up their PPHDFs.
The accomplished PPHDF shall be collected by designated passenger vessel personnel and turned over to the Department of Health.
Hand sanitizers and other disinfectants shall be made available to passengers at all times.
Disinfecting footbath shall be provided in all entry and exit access points of the vessel for passengers and crew.
All crew members and passengers are required to wear facemasks at all times and persons without facemasks shall not be allowed to embark the vessel.
Passengers that show symptoms of Covid-19 while in transit shall be isolated in the identified isolation area of the vessel and will then be turned over to the municipal or city health officer of the LGU of destination.
No passenger shall be allowed to leave the seaport premises without being received by the corresponding extracting team from the receiving LGU or accredited accommodation facilities.