Palace backs LGU COVID-19 protocol exemption for gov't workers

Exempting national government employees from local government COVID-19 testing and quarantine protocols was not tantamount to granting undue favors to state employees, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said on Monday.

Roque was responding to a query as to whether such a policy gave state employees an undue advantage considering that the rest of the populace had to comply with COVID-19 and quarantine protocols of LGUs, with a handful even requiring a negative RT-PCR test for COVID-19 which costs around P900 to P3,400.

“Wala namang double standards diyan. Hindi naman talaga pupwedeng maantala ang pagbibigay serbisyo ng national government,” Roque said.

“May sari-sariling protocol din ang mga opisina ng gobyerno. Magtiwala naman po tayo na di naman papayag na maging spreaders ang mga empleyado ng national government,” he added.

The policy to spare government employees from LGUs’ COVID 19 testing and quarantine protocols—which was based on an Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) resolution—would be observed provided that state employees can present valid IDs issued by their respective government agencies and an original or a certified true copy of the Travel Authority/Order issued by the Department Secretary or his/her designated official.

Despite the exemption for national government employees, the same IATF resolution required them to undergo a symptoms check at their destination point and/or before boarding public transportation.

COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, colds, loss of taste, among others. — DVM, GMA News