MANILA - The Department of the Interior and Local Government has given local government units severely affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses the go-signal to relax quarantine restrictions to grant access to relief and rescue groups.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año says LGUs have been told health protocol restrictions can be lifted to allow relief, rescue groups access to areas affected by typhoon #UlyssesPh, adds same can be applied to media who will cover @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/fOWLGGSVIK

— Bianca Dava 🐈🐾 (@biancadava) November 14, 2020

"Last week, I sent a memo to all LGUs in calamity areas and severely hit areas that health protocol restrictions can be lifted provided they coordinate with the (regional inter-agency task force) so they would know anong grupo ang darating (what groups are coming), rescue at relief groups," Interior Secretary Eduardo Año told reporters in Calamba, Laguna on Saturday.

"We will lift restrictions if it is for rescue and relief para mas mabilis ang actions natin (so action will go faster)," he added.

Was there inadequate communication about the urgency of the situation?

Año: 48 hours pa before dumating ang bagyo, tadtad na ng advisories ‘yan mula sa NDRRMC, LGUs, other agencies. Ako pinag-utos ko sa lahat ng barangay ang bandilyo, hindi text messages lang. @ABSCBNNews

— Bianca Dava 🐈🐾 (@biancadava) November 14, 2020

Cagayan continues to be submerged in flood waters as high as 15 feet, netizens who hail from and live in the province said as they desperately sought assistance from the government on Friday night.

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Some of the desperate calls for help appealed on the media to report about their predicament and help bring in relief goods.

But some LGUs reportedly required visitors—relief groups and media included— to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine before entering Cagayan.

Año added the lifting of health protocol restrictions can also be extended to members of the media.

“We can extend that to the media basta ang mission is to cover,” he said.

“But, of course, ang minimum health standards dapat ino-observe pa rin,” he concluded.