DFA says passport applications in GCQ areas may resume in May

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday said its consular offices in areas with relaxed restrictions or will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) may resume the processing of passport applications in May.

“‘Yun naman pong ibang consular office po namin ay temporary nang nag-suspend po sapagkat marami po sa kanila ang nalagay sa enhanced community quarantine,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Brigido Dulay said during the Laging Handa public briefing.

“So ‘pag nagluwag po ito at nagkaroon po ng tinatawag na general community quarantine, magbabalik po 'yung operasyon ng normal,” he said.

However, the DFA official said that while it is possible that passport applications may resume, changes in protocols to observe social distancing might be observed.

“Gusto ko lang po ipaalalahanan ang ating mga kababayan... hindi na po pupuwede 'yung dating proseso,” Dulay said.

“Mag-iiba po kami ng proseso para makasunod po tayo sa patakaran ng social distancing at decongestion,” he said.

On March 17, the passport processing in Luzon was suspended until further notice amid an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the threat from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

Operations of the DFA’s consular offices in Luzon remained suspended until April 30 due to the extension of the Luzon-wide ECQ. 

On Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte extended the ECQ to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and CALABARZON until May 15.

Duterte also accepted the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to extend until May 15 the ECQ in similarly high-risk areas Benguet, Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Albay and Catanduanes.

For four provinces — Tarlac, Benguet, Pangasinan, and Zambales — the quarantine status may change by April 30.

Duterte also placed some areas in Visayas and Mindanao under ECQ but subject to reassessment: Antique, Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Cebu, Cebu City, Davao del Norte, Davao City and Davao de Oro.

Provinces or areas which are considered moderate- and low-risk in the spread of COVID-19 will be placed under a GCQ starting on May 1.

These are: Abra, Ilocos Norte La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Samar, Western Samar, Zamboanga Del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur, Apayao, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, Quirino, Aurora, Palawan, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, Masbate, Guimaras, Bohol, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Basilan, Sulu.

For areas placed under general community quarantine, the following will be observed:

• workers and sectors in category I, II and III may continue to work or operate in phases;
• the general population may go out of their homes only for purposes of accessing basic necessities;
• in any case, those with ages below 21 years old and those 60 years old and above as well as those with ages ranging from 21 years old but below 60 years old but who reside with co-morbidities or other risk factors shall stay home;
• non-leisure stores in malls and shopping centers may partially open;
• higher education institutions may continue classes to finish the academic year and issue credentials to students in accordance with guidelines as may be issued by the Commission on Higher Education;
• priority and essential construction projects may resume in accordance with guidelines as may be issued by the DPWH;
• public transportation may operate at a reduced capacity in accordace with guidelines as may be issued by the DOTr;
• local government units shall enforce curfew at night for non-workers; and
• airports and seaports may operate insofar as the unhampered movement of goods.

Dulay called for the public’s understanding as lines and processing might take longer due to observance of strict health protocols.

“So kami po, pinangungunahan na po namin ang aming mga kababayan na sana po ay habaan ninyo ang inyong pasensiya at pag-unawa sapagkat kailangan po medyo habaan at tatagalagan ang proseso para sumang-ayon po sa ating social distancing measures doon sa consular offices,” he said. —KG, GMA News