Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 17) — All food passes issued to suppliers of agricultural produce starting March 8 are valid until the end of the month, the Department of Agriculture has said.
“We immediately issued DA Memorandum Circular No. 11, on April 14, 2020, extending the legitimacy of the ‘food passes’ we issued through our Agribusiness Marketing and Assistance Service to suppliers and truckers of food, rice, vegetables, fruits, meat and processed products, as well as farm, fishery and livestock inputs, raw materials and equipment,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a statement on Thursday.
Dar also called on regional offices of the department to “ensure that the extension will be honored at all checkpoints nationwide.”
The extended validity is due to the extension of the Luzon-wide quarantine.
Food passes were given out to permit vehicles carrying essential food commodities to pass through checkpoints and enter Luzon.
The DA said it has issued a total of 73,189 food passes.
Task force spokesperson Karlo Nograles and Dar said the extension aims to ensure the unhampered food supply amid the public health crisis due to the coronavirus disease.
President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire northern Philippines under quarantine, limiting the movement of people to slow the spread of coronavirus disease a month ago. He ordered most, except for those rendering vital services, to stay at home. It was originally scheduled to last until April 12.
