Question & AnswerQ&A (NQO ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 118-C S. 1992)
The rules and regulations are known as the Revised Quarantine Rules and Regulations.
Their purpose is to protect and promote public health by ensuring maximum security against the introduction or spread of diseases subject to the International Health Regulations from foreign countries into the Philippines and from one port to another within the Philippines.
They apply to all vessels, aircraft, crew, passengers, and cargoes entering any seaport or airport within the Philippines, whether owned by government or private entities.
The Department of Health through the National Quarantine Office (Bureau of Quarantine) in the Office of Standards and Regulation.
Pratique means permission for a ship to enter port, disembark, and commence operation or for an aircraft after landing, to disembark and commence operation.
Violators may face a fine of not more than two thousand pesos or imprisonment of not more than one year, or both, at the discretion of the court. Vessels or aircraft violating provisions may forfeit to the government not more than ten thousand pesos, to be determined by the Collector of Customs and made a lien on such vessel or aircraft.
A valid international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required if arriving within six days from a yellow fever infected area. The certificate is valid for ten years beginning six days after vaccination or reimmunization and must be issued by a WHO-approved vaccination center.
Vessels from foreign ports or interisland vessels with death or disease must be inspected by a Quarantine Medical Officer between 8:00-12:00 and 13:00-17:00 Mondays to Fridays, showing documents such as Maritime Declaration of Health, passenger and crew list, cargo manifest, and deratting certificates, while the vessel flies a yellow flag and waits at quarantine anchorage until granted pratique.
The patient must be isolated in the sick-bay or designated cabin with minimal contact, contaminated clothes and bedding disinfected, compartments cleaned and disinfected, mosquito nets and vector control used for mosquito-borne diseases, rat control for plague cases, and sterilization of drinking water and food for diseases like cholera and typhoid, as detailed in the regulations.
Vessels must have valid deratting or deratting exemption certificates issued after rat inspection under the supervision of a Quarantine Medical Officer. If rat infestation is moderate to heavy, fumigation or other deratting measures like poisoning or trapping will be ordered.
Such cargo liable to harbor rats or fleas must be fumigated prior to unloading. If accompanied by an acceptable fumigation certificate from the port of loading, it may be permitted entry without further fumigation.
An infected person is one incubating or suffering from a disease subject to the quarantine regulations.
No person except the Quarantine Medical Officer and authorized assistants may board before inspection and granting of pratique. Unauthorized entry subjects the person to the same quarantine requirements imposed on passengers and crew or may cause detention of the vessel.
It is valid for six months with a possible one-month extension if formal inspection is arranged at the next authorized port.