Quarantine passes should be free as per PH gov't

Quarantine passes issued in some cities and towns for the month-long lockdown in Luzon should be distributed free of charge, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday.

Some villages require households within their jurisdictions to use quarantine passes when buying food and other supplies to limit and monitor the number of persons going out of their homes as the country seeks to arrest the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Huwag po magbigay ng passes for a fee or for any payment whatsoever in any form or kind…Hindi 'yan for a fee,” Nograles said in a televised press briefing.

“Walang bayad 'yang mga passes na 'yan. Huwag po natin abusuhin 'yan,” he added.

READ: No Quarantine Pass Needed Within Pasig - Vico Sotto

Barangay officials selling quarantine passes may face charges, Nograles warned.

Neither President Rodrigo Duterte nor the government inter-agency task force on COVID-19 gave barangay officials authority to issue quarantine passes.

READ: Duterte places entire PH under state of calamity due to COVID-19

Nograles however reminded local government units with villages distributing quarantine passes to coordinate their efforts with the Department of the Interior and Local Government for guidelines.

“Naglabas po ang DILG ng guidelines para sa quarantine passes, sila na rin po makikipag-coordinate sa mga barangay,” he said.

READ: Malabon City Reports First Confirmed COVID-19 Case

Luzon was placed under lockdown until April 12, which meant strict home confinement in all households, suspension of transportation lines, regulation of provision for food and essential health services, and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce isolation procedures.

The move aims to arrest the spread of COVID-19.

READ: Mga barangay sa Taguig nag door-to-door sa pagbibigay ng home quarantine pass