What to do if you’re a stranded individual who wishes to go home this quarantine? DILG explains

The first thing that a stranded individual who wishes to return home must do is to acquire a medical certification, stating that he or she does not pose a health risk in this time of health crisis, the spokesman of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya explained that the medical certificate should indicate that the concerned individual is free from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

If he or she tested positive for the disease before, the individual must already be negative for COVID-19 after being subjected to two tests.

"Ang pinaka requirement lang po talaga for a stranded individual para makabalik na kayo sa inyong pupuntahan is a medical certification issued by the city municipal health office," Malaya said.

"Na hindi ka positibo sa COVID, na ikaw ay nagquarantine, na ikaw ay nagstay at home ka lang... 'yan ang ibig sabihin doon, na hindi ka pasaway at kung saan saan nagpunta."

Malaya said the medical certificate is the number one requirement of the "receiving" local government unit. He said it depends upon the "receiving" LGU if the individual will still be placed under home quarantine upon arriving to a certain locality.

"Kailangan niyo po kasi ng medical certification dahil 'yun din po ang hinihingi ng receiving LGU. Kung kayo po ay bibiyahe, hindi po kayo tatanggapin sa inyong pupuntahan, that will be a waste of time for you na kayo nga ay nakabiyahe, di naman kayo tatanggapin doon..." he said.

After acquiring a medical certificate, Malaya said the individual must obtain a travel authority from the police so that he or she could pass through certain quarantine control points.

Malaya said if an individual will travel from one town to another, the provincial director will issue the travel authority while the regional director will be the one to issue it if a person will go from one province to another.

If the travel is from a certain region to another, the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame must issue the travel authority.

Malaya said the LGUs could process the travel authority; but the individual also has the option to process his or her own travel pass by going to local police stations.

"Ang magproproseso na po niyan ay 'yung LGU. It will be the LGU who will forward that to the PNP at aantayin niyo po 'yung clearance na ibibigay, 'yung travel authority..." Malaya said.

According to the Malaya, the purpose of travel will be assessed by the police.

Malaya noted that the said rules are intended for the following locally stranded individuals:

• Students;
• Filipino local workers;
• Local and foreign tourists; and
• Individuals stranded in various localities while in transit.

— RSJ, GMA News