Being stopped in checkpoints is normal for workers going to work, and going home after work, in establishments allowed to operate during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). Here are three things that workers need to remember in dealing with checkpoints (explain these items in a respectful and composed manner).
1.
ESTABLISHMENTS ALLOWED TO OPERATE
There are establishments and businesses allowed to operate during ECQ. More establishments are allowed to operate in areas under MECQ. The only sticking point is the level of operational capacity for each establishment — whether full capacity, 50% capacity, or skeleton workforce. The issue on the level of capacity, however, is not the concern of enforcers manning the checkpoints. The full list of establishments allowed to operate in each community quarantine area, as of 22 May 2020, is contained in the Revised Omnibus Guidelines, incorporating the amendments under IATF Resolution No. 38. Refer to the full consolidated text of the Revised Omnibus Guidelines, or the list of industries allowed to operate per area:
2.
COMPANY ID IS ENOUGH
The provisions are quoted verbatim (emphasis supplied), and the appropriate Section numbers are cited, to drive home the point that the company-issued ID is enough authority for travel to and from work, without any other passes needed. The pertinent portion of Section 7 (“Guidelines for Interzonal Movement”) of the Revised Omnibus Guidelines reads:
- 2. The movement as such of the following within and across areas placed under any form of community quarantine shall be permitted: (1) health and emergency frontline services personnel, (2) government officials and government frontline personnel, (3) duly-authorized humanitarian assistance actors (HAAs), (4) persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, (4) persons going to the airport for travel abroad, (5) returning or repatriated OFWs and other Overseas Filipinos (OFs) returning to their places of residence, (6) other persons transported through the efforts of the national government upon conduct of the necessary quarantine protocols and with the concurrence of the receiving LGUs, and (7) anyone crossing zones for work permitted in the zone of destination, and going back home.
On the other hand, Section 3 (13) of the Revised Omnibus Guidelines states that:
- 13. Law enforcement agencies shall recognize any of the following IDs: (i) IATF IDs issued by the regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over permitted establishments or persons, (ii) bona fide IDs issued by establishments exempted from the strict home quarantine requirement, or (iii) RapidPass IDs. No other IDs or passes specifically exempting persons from community quarantine shall be required of workers of permitted establishments and/or offices without prejudice to requiring the presentation of other documents establishing the nature of their work.
Travel must be work-related. These provisions, read together, mean that permitted travel consists in going to work, and going home from work. The use of the conjunction “or” means that ANY of the three IDs is sufficient authorization to travel. The next sentence — “no other IDs or passes specifically exempting persons from community quarantine shall be required” — is technically a surplusage, but its inclusion in the paragraph is meant to reinforce the point that a company-issued ID is enough and no other pass is required.
3.
THE IATF IS THE HIGHEST POLICY-MAKING BODY
In this time of national public health emergency, the IATF is the highest policy-making body in the Philippines when it comes to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The actions of all agencies and instrumentalities of the government, including Local Government Units (LGUs), must be consistent with the policies provided by the IATF. Still, to reiterate, do the explaining in a respectful manner.
[See also When Travel Pass is Needed for Interzonal Travel during Community Quarantine]
- Extension of Filing Periods and Suspension of Hearings for March 29 to April 4, 2021: SC Administrative Circular No. 14-2021 (Full Text) - March 28, 2021
- ECQ Bubble for NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal: Resolution No. 106-A (Full Text) - March 27, 2021
- Guidelines on the Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplaces (Labor Advisory No. 3) - March 12, 2021
Hi P&L!
I live in Pampanga but my work is Quezon City.
Is my Company ID and Certificate of Employment
enough for checkpoints? I went to our baranggay earlier
to ask this but they are requiring me to get a travel pass
and I need to stay in Quezon City for atleast 14 days before
I could go back home. They also told me I need to get
another travel pass in Quezon City which I need to use
to go home and when I reach home I need to stay 14 days
again before I could go back to work and start the whole
travel pass process again.
I hope you help me with this.
Thank you
Hi Ferdie. Malinaw naman ang guidelines na kung related sa trabaho, sapat na ang company ID. Mas lalong hindi kailangan kung GCQ, na magsisimula sa June 1. Good luck.
Hi P&L
I live in Cabuyao Laguna but my work is located at San Miguel Tarlac .
Is my Company ID and Certificate of Employment ay sapat na para makalusot sa mga check point sa NLEX.
Wala akong sasakyan. What if mag rent ako ng sasakyan para maghatid sa akin sa Tarlac.
Ung driver kailangan bang may travel pass from PNP
Hi Ronnie. There is no problem with the employees for permitted industries. The tricky part is with respect to the driver. At the very least, it will be difficult for the driver on the return trip. On the other hand, the guidelines issued by other LGUs for the GCQ require a travel pass for the driver. Good luck.
I live in Batangas though I also rent a place in Makati but I am currently self-employed. In order to do work, I need to go back to my place in Makati because our internet here in the province is not as reliable as the one I have in Makati. Also I left some of my tools there that I’ll use for work.
What documents do I need to prepare in order to get through from Batangas to Makati as I don’t exactly have a Company ID and COE? I do have an ID to my place in Makati which has an address (proof of residence?).
One option I have for transpo is that I can ask my brother to take me there with our family car.
Hi Mn. As general rule, any proof of employment will do. On the other hand, perhaps it might be helpful to coordinate with your local government. Good luck.
Good eve, nandito po Kasi ako sa manila inabot ng ecq, balak ko na po umuwi NG Laguna, ano po Yung mga need ko I present para po payagan ako sa checkpoint po pauwi ng Laguna?, thank you po, godbless po..
Hi P&L!
I’m currently working for a construction industry here in Makati as part of their staff and while Bulacan(my province) is already under GCQ. I’m just not sure if my company I.D and COE will work when I go home since our industry is not really part of those that industry that doesn’t need a travel pass.
Thank you!
Hi Ang. Company ID is enough for work-related travel. The rule is, if the company is allowed to operate, workers don’t need a travel pass. Please see this post: https://pnl-law.com/blog/no-travel-pass-is-required-for-workers-in-ecq-mecq-areas-company-id-is-enough/
Good luck.
Hello sir ask ko lng nagwowork ako dto sa pampanga pero sa manila ako nkatira uuwi ako ang hawak ko lng id na sa manila ako nkatira at certification ng tinatrabahuhan ko kaso wla akong id. Nagpapaprocesse po ako ng trvel pass ang tagal ksikalahating bwan na wla pa
Hi Maria. Proof of employment, tulad ng ID o certificate of employment. Mas mainam na humingi ka ng ID sa employer mo. Good luck.
Hello po ulit pnl,
Asking on behalf of a friend.
If may COE na po pero walang ID kasi naiwan nya sa tinitirahan sa condo, maari na din po ba yun? if ever may photo daw sya sa phone ng ID.
Thank you.
May I formally ask po if company ID lang ang need ipresent for every checkpoint pag pupunta po ako Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Misamis Occidental this june 17, 2020 via by land and ferry na manggagaling ako dito metro manila. In line with this po. kumuha na rin ako rapid test, covid free brgy certificate, and even cert. of employment and letter na galing sa each destination na pupuntahan ko po.
follow-up question ko po. need parin po kumuha ng special permit for the company shuttle(toyota innova car) to be used.
Thank you for your soonest positive response!
Hi MBGomez, for work-related travel, company ID lang ang kailangan. Ingat sa biyahe.
Hi PnL
i work in manila but i live
in pampanga. i need to go
home eveeyday to my kids.
ID and COE
was honored in the checkpoints
but the brgy chairman kin pampanga)
wants me to be quarantined everytime i go home. utos daw ng pampanga government.
how can i work properly with the local
brgy rules? we have no work from home.
i dont have a place to stay in manila. do i
really need to follow their rules or the iatf
rules that i can go to work and home?
thanks
bong
Hi PNL, Good day!
Ang mga medical representative ba ay pwede ng walang travel pass? sapat na ba ang company ID ? ang area ko kasi ay buong north luzon at palipat lipat ako ng lugar. Im residing in makati city. Thanks and God bless