The suspension of domestic air, land, and sea travel to and from Metro Manila from March 15 until April 14 excludes the transport of goods to and from the National Capital Region to ensure that grocery shelves remain stocked for the duration of the community quarantine that will cover Metro Manila’s close to 13 million residents.
This was the assurance given on Friday by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who together with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez and Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Alain Pascua briefed reporters in Malacañang on the salient details of the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 11, which President Rodrigo Duterte had approved Thursday night.
According to the Palace official, the flow of goods to and from NCR will remain unimpeded as “the transport of goods to Metro Manila from the provinces will remain, subject to guidelines.”
“This means that residents of NCR should not worry about the supplies of produce, food, and other goods in our markets, groceries, and retailers.”
“Residents of NCR should not worry about the supplies of produce, food, and other goods in our markets.”
Given this, Nograles repeated government appeals for the public to refrain from hoarding food items and other essential goods while the community quarantine is in effect.
“Kaya po, uulitin po namin; wag po tayo mag-hoard ng pagkain at iba pang kagamitan. Di po tayo mauubusan, tuloy-tuloy po ang supplies natin dito sa Metro Manila,” assured Nograles, a member of the IATF.
DTI Chief Mon Lopez explained: “The supply of goods, both food and non-food, mga cargo, can move in and out of Metro Manila. The importance of that is to secure the continuity in supply.”
“Importante ho may supply parati tayo sa ating lugar kahit quina-quarantine po yan––there’s food at iba pang pangangailangan natin,” added Lopez.
Aside from the transport of goods, Nograles explained that the IATF will also discuss other exemptions to the no-entry, no-exit policy in Metro Manila that seeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The possible exemptions, said Nograles, could cover workers living in the province who work in Metro Manila as well as government officials who need to go outside NCR as part of their responsibilities.
Nograles reiterated that travel restrictions in the NCR will be reviewed on a daily basis and may be lifted earlier if the situation will allow it.