Duterte disagrees with total travel ban on South Korea over COVID-19

President Rodrigo Duterte disagrees with the idea of expanding the coverage of the travel ban on South Korea as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus outbreak.

Interviewed by reporters in Malacañang, Duterte said a total travel ban was not an option for any country.

“You cannot do that. There cannot be a total travel ban and you do not allow anybody to enter. You are going to lock down the entire Philippines for that,” Duterte said.

“It ain't that way. And for those who are healthy, they should come in. And for those who have been identified from other countries, then that is the time that we can raise the objection of his entry.”

Duterte’s statement comes after the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases announced the entry ban on travelers coming from the North Gyeongsang province of South Korea, which has the largest number of infections outside of China.

Filipinos would also not be allowed to travel to the whole of South Korea.

Exempted from the travel ban are permanent residents, those leaving for study, and overseas Filipino workers provided they sign a declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved prior to their travel.

Duterte said the Department of Health and other concerned agencies are competent enough to assess the travel restrictions.

“I will leave it to the DOH and the guys who are in charge of it, whether it would be safe or not. They can do it. I am not a medical person. I'm a lawyer,” he said.

The coronavirus disease outbreak in China had prompted the Philippine government on February 2 to impose a travel ban on mainland China and its special administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau.

Manila later included Taiwan in the travel ban but this was eventually lifted on February 14.

Last week, the Philippines removed the travel ban for Filipino overseas workers, students and permanent residents bound for Hong Kong and Macau.

However, the ban on Filipinos going to the two Chinese territories as tourists is still in place. —NB, GMA News