Persons with valid medical reasons allowed to cross borders

MANILA – Persons whose travel purpose is for health and medical reasons are allowed to cross border control points in Metro Manila, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar said Sunday.

Eleazar said these persons are classified as Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs).

APORs are generally classified into two main groups, the worker-APOR who are allowed to go out and cross borders for being an employee of businesses and industries permitted under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), and the customer-APOR who are allowed to go out and avail of the goods and services of the businesses and permitted industries but are prohibited to crossing borders.

“Kasama sa other APORs ang mga kababayan nating may appointment sa mga doktor at ‘yung mga kababayan nating kailangang umuwi dahil namatayan ng immediate family members, o may manganganak na asawa at iba pang mga kadahilanan na parte ng ating kulturang Pilipino (Included in the other APORs are our people with existing doctors’ appointments and those who have suffered deaths among immediate family members or those who have given birth and other reasons that require the presence of family as per our culture dictate),” he said.

Crossing borders for persons requiring emergency treatment would always be allowed especially if the condition cannot be treated within the locality due to the unavailability of medical facilities.

Police personnel manning quarantine control points have been advised to allow persons under the “other APOR” category to cross borders, Eleazar said.

He reminded the public to continue observing the quarantine rules especially on unnecessary travels.

“Ang layunin ng ECQ ay para malimitahan ang paglabas ng mga tao at maiwasan ang lalong pagkalat ng Covid-19 (The role of the enhanced community quarantine is to limit the number of people going out and avoid the transmission of Covid-19),” Eleazar said.

As of Aug. 8, another 9,671 new cases and 287 new deaths were reported. These figures bring the overall tally of active cases to 77,516 and the death toll to 29,122. (with Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)