Leisure travel between NCR Plus, MGCQ areas now allowed

To revive local tourism, IATF has allowed leisure travel between areas placed under GCQ and MGCQ

Residents living in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces (Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) can now leisurely travel to areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said that a resolution issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) now allows trips between NCR Plus and areas placed under MGCQ. Specifically, it means people of all ages can now travel for leisure between zones.

According to Puyat, leisure travel between areas placed under GCQ and MGCQ will help revive local tourism in the country.

But what are the requirements for interzonal travel? According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, all travelers must undergo a test before the trip. The type of test will also be subject to the restrictions of the destination.

“Allowed na ang interzonal, pero kinakailangan po point-to-point lamang. Wala po siyang age restrictions pero meron pong testing-before-travel requirement,” said Roque.

[Interzonal travel is now allowed, but it is limited to point-to-point trips only. There is no age restriction, but the testing-before-travel requirement is there]

There was no mention of what type of test is required for interzonal travel. More than likely, however, it's the RT-PCR test, aka the swab test.

While leisure travel is now allowed between GCQ and MGCQ areas, that doesn't mean we should let our guards down. Remember, the pandemic is still ongoing. As before, always wear a mask and a face shield while in public areas. If you're not feeling well, best to stay at home. The last thing you want to do is spread the virus to a different region of the country.