STARTING March 23, 2021, the Davao City Government will require individuals entering the city through Francisco Bangoy International Airport, also known as Davao International Airport (DIA), a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result.

Airport Monitoring Team head Generose Tecson told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that RT-PCR tests shall be done by passengers not more than 72 hours before the flight.

Tecson also said that saliva-based RT-PCR tests, still taken not more than 72 hours before the flight, will be accepted if done by the Philippine Red Cross.

For children below 12 years old, tests will not be required unless parents or chaperones tested positive for Covid-19.

She also said that air passengers going to the city must secure their Safe Davao QR Code (DQR).

"So kung (if you have) no negative result and Safe Davao QR, no check-in for Davao," Tecson said.

Tecson said the reimposition of the test is in accordance with City Ordinance 0477-21, Series of 2021, or an ordinance providing for mandatory testing prior to entry into the city via DIA.

The ordinance was signed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on March 2, 2021.

She added that the "test-before-travel" requirement to all passengers is not in contradiction to the issued Resolution 101 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

"Nakalagay doon na option ng LGU (local government unit) na mag-require ng (It was indicated there that LGUs are given the option to require) testing prior to entry," she said.

According to the IATF, an LGU that will still require a Covid-19 test will be limited to RT-PCR.

Tecson said the city had been pushing the mandatory RT-PCR test to all travelers to the city, even before the reported surge of Covid-19 in some key cities in the country, particularly in Metro Manila and Cebu City, reportedly due to the detected Covid-19 variants.

She said the city is also planning to impose the mandatory RT-PCR for land travelers coming from Luzon and Visayas.

Meanwhile, she said the city, in accordance with the IATF order, will no longer require travel authority from the Joint Task Force Covid Shield and health certificates.

Authorized persons outside residence (Apor) from National Government agencies and their attached agencies need only present their identification card, travel order and travel itinerary.

Earlier, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Infectious Diseases specialist Dr. Marie Yvette Barez urged for the continued implementation of strict travel protocols, including the RT-PCR test, within city borders after noticing a slight increase of admitted Covid-19 patients.

"Inopen na kasi ng IATF diba everything, inistop na ang lahat ng mga RT-PCR (Since the IATF relaxed its policy, they did not made the RT-PCR mandatory). But yesterday [March 16], nag-increase uli yung admission. Although hindi pa man ganun ka-alarming (there is an increase of admission. Although it is still not alarming), but the fact na nag-increase na ulit ang (that there is again an increase of) admission, it could be an effect of those relaxed... everybody became relaxed again," she said.

Barez also said the transmission of the new variant causing case surge might be possible if the city will not be strict in its borders, particularly those in the airport.