MANILA, Philippines – Health workers serving on the frontline of efforts to combat the novel coronavirus disease do not need to obtain special identification cards that would allow them to leave their homes and report for work, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Monday, March 23. 

“Sapat na po iyong PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) ID o ID ng ospital o health establishment,” Nograles said in a regular Laging Handa briefing on Monday morning. 

(Your PRC IDs or IDs from your hospitals or health establishments will be enough.) 

Why this matters. Health workers are among the limited number of people authorized to leave their homes during the Luzon-wide lockdown as they play a crucial role in both treating coronavirus patients and battling its spread. (LIST: Who are allowed out during Luzon lockdown?) 

While health workers were among those allowed to move despite travel restrictions, questions were raised online over whether or not they would need to obtain accreditation IDs from the government’s coronavirus task force. 

Similar accreditation IDs were required of media, while some local government units asked residents to obtain quarantine passes when going out to buy food and essentials. 

The Philippines has counted at least 380 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Saturday night, March 21. The new total confirmed cases is 150 cases more than the health department’s tally on Friday, March 20. 

The confirmed cases include 25 deaths and 15 recoveries.  – Rappler.com