Drivers and crew of cargo and delivery trucks are not required to take the mandatory 14-day home quarantine if they do not show any symptoms of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) said.
IATF-EID spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said this will allow the unhampered movement of all cargoes and ensure adequate supply of food during the enhanced community quarantine.
“Pinapaalala po natin sa mga LGUs at local health units: Hindi required ang mga drayber at crew ng cargo at delivery truck na mag 14-day quarantine (We are reminding local government units and local health units: Drivers and crew of cargo and delivery tricks are not required to undergo the 14-day quarantine),” Nograles said in a virtual presser.
“Only trucks with at least three persons onboard will be exempted from the quarantine provided they observe strict social distancing measures.”
The Palace official said only trucks with at least three persons onboard will be exempted from quarantine provided they observe strict social distancing measures inside the vehicle.
He said companies should consider adding safe and humane seats or space in the vehicles for their workers.
“Kailangan pong tuloy-tuloy ang daloy ng mga kargamento, exempted po ang mga ito sa ECQ (The movement of cargoes should continue, these workers are exempted from the ECQ),” Nograles stressed.
He also vowed to address reports that some supermarkets and grocery stores no longer have stocks of basic goods following delays in the movement of cargoes.
Meanwhile, Nograles said the implementation of stricter measures to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus such as increasing testing capabilities, immediate quarantine and isolation will help the country transition to “a new normal.”
“We have to devise a way where we can get back to our ordinary lives so that we can help the economy.”
“We have to devise a way kung saan (where) we can get back to our ordinary lives para matulungan natin ang ekonomiya (so that we can help the economy). Pero kailangan may mga (But we need to have) protective measures tayong gagawin. It’s a world-wide problem but tayo as a nation, we are resilient,” he said.
Nograles added that once the country successfully contains the virus, the government can focus on preventing the threat of a recession.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda earlier said the month-long quarantine in Luzon could spare the Philippine economy from possible recession.
“Ang virus ay nagta-thrive through economic activity so kailangan talaga pigilan muna ang ating pagtakbo ng ekonomiya (The virus thrives through economic activity, so we need to temporarily halt economic activity),” Salceda said.
The veteran legislator said that while the month-long quarantine is expected to result in economic losses, a mass transmission would cost the economy even more.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government is readying additional measures to further buoy the domestic economy from economic difficulties.
The entire Luzon and some areas in Visayas and Mindanao are currently placed under an enhanced community quarantine which strictly requires people to stay indoors and limit their movement to accessing basic needs.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier signed the “Bayanihan to Health as One Act” to realign the national budget and tap additional funds to address the national emergency.