Four DMCI Powers Inc. personnel, who arrived from Manila on Friday and briefly held at the Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPIA), asserted they were not required to undergo quarantine in accordance with a policy imposed by the city government on arriving passengers.
Engr. Tony Chavez, plant manager of DMCI Power Corp. Palawan, explained that under the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines on enhanced community quarantine, energy companies and their 3rd party contractors are exempted from travel restrictions.
Chavez also claimed they had secured an exemption certificate from the local government units of (LGU) Puerto Princesa and Aborlan pointing out that the exemption was endorsed by PALECO, as delineated on Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution No. 14, issued March 22.
“Notwithstanding the exemption, they (DMCI personnel) will strictly adhere to social distancing measures, good personal hygiene, and wear personal protective equipment (PPE),” Chavez said.
City administrator Arnel Pedrosa said the city merely issued them a permit to travel from Puerto Princesa City and that they have endorsed the personnel concerned to the provincial government for monitoring.
“Land travel lang hiningi nila so yun lang binigay namin. Provincial officials will take care of them,” Pedrosa said.
The four DMCI employees arrived early on March 27 and were only released around 5:30 p.m. by the City Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO).
A pre-arranged van transported them immediately to the DPC facility in Aborlan.
“Energy companies and their third-party contractors, including employees involved in electric transmission and distribution, electric power plant and mine maintenance, as well as those involved in exploration, operations, trading, and delivery were exempted from the quarantine protocol,” the IATF resolution said.
