The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) imposed new testing and quarantine protocols for arriving international passengers from the countries classified under the Red List.

Acting Presidential Spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the new testing and quarantine protocols that was approved by the IATF on Thursday shall take effect December 3.

Red list countries are South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy.

Nograles said fully vaccinated individuals, "shall be required to have a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin".

"Upon arrival in the Philippines, they shall undergo facility-based quarantine with an RT-PCR test taken on the 5th day, with the date of arrival being the first day. Regardless of a negative result, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine up to the 14th day from the date of arrival," he said

"In the case of individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated, they shall be required a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin," Nograles stated.

"Upon arrival in the Philippines, they shall undergo facility-based quarantine with an RT-PCR test done on the 7th day, with the date of arrival being the first day. Regardless of a negative result, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine up to the 14th day from the date of arrival," he added.

Nograles said the Department of Transportation has been directed to ensure that airlines board only passengers who comply with the negative RT-PCR test-before-travel requirement.

"The testing and quarantine protocols of minors, on the other hand, shall follow the testing and quarantine protocol of the parent or guardian traveling with them, regardless of the minor’s vaccination status and country of origin," he said.

While the "international passengers who have already arrived and are currently undergoing quarantine, they shall continue with the testing and quarantine protocols in place at the time of their arrival."

Nograles said the "Filipinos from Red List countries, territories or jurisdictions allowed entry via government-initiated or non-government repatriations, and Bayanihan Flights shall only be allowed to deplane via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and/or Clark International Airport."

"The Department of Transportation, through their attached agencies, is directed to ensure the compliance of airlines with this directive. Upon arrival, the individual shall comply with the testing and quarantine protocols as prescribed under IATF Resolution No. 149-A (s.2021)," he said.

Nograles noted that the IATF also amended the metrics for determining alert level classifications of provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities.

"Amendments include removing the One-Week Growth Rate as a metric for escalation from Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 2; the escalation of areas under Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 2 if either case classification or total COVID-19 bed utilization increases to moderate risk or higher; and the escalation of areas under Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3 if both case classification and total COVID-19 bed utilization are at moderate risk, or if case classification is at high to critical risk," he said.

Applying the revised metrics, Apayao shall be classified under Alert Level 2 from December 3, 2021 until December 15, 2021, he added. Robina Asido/DMS