THE country will now be hosting the 9th Meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve despite the nationwide restrictions on mass gatherings.
This after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Thursday issued its Resolution No. 116 authorizing the conduct of the event to be hosted by the National Food Authority (NFA).
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the IATF considered the event an “essential gathering” to be exempted from the existing ban on meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibition (MICE) venues.
“NFA’s choice of a specific MICE venue shall be subject to applicable laws and rules,” the IATF said in its resolution No. 116.
Meanwhile, the IATF also approved the holding of the 2021 Swimming National Selection Meet to be hosted by the Philippine Swimming Incorporated under a “bubble-type” formal at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac.
“For this purpose, delegates of the National Selection Meet shall be considered as authorized person outside of residence and shall be allowed interzonal travel consistent with the IATF Omnibus Guidelines, subject to rules as may be imposed by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority,” IATF said.
During the last meeting of the IATF, Roque said it also allowed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWPH) for resume the relocation of informal settlers with their construction projects.
It also granted the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) to scale up the contact tracing applications of various local government units (LGU).
Last, the IATF also created a Small Working Group to come out with the protocols for inbound international travel of fully vaccinated individuals.