Philippines won't extend travel restrictions amid new coronavirus variants

The Philippines has decided not to extend the travel restrictions on foreigners from over 30 countries that had recorded cases of new coronavirus variants, Malacañang said Friday.

“The restriction remains until January 31, 2021 and would lapse after the aforesaid date,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Roque, however, said all foreigners who are not allowed entry to the Philippines, including those holding tourist visas, are still prohibited to enter the country.

Those who are allowed still need to complete their 14-day quarantine.

Among those allowed to enter the country were the foreign parent of minor Filipinos, and foreign parent of Filipino children with special needs, accredited foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents, foreign airline crewmembers, foreign seafarers with appropriate visas, and foreigners with long-term and investor visas.

The government first imposed the travel restrictions last December 24 covering only the United Kingdom, where the more transmissible variant was initially detected. It was then expanded to 34 countries.

1. United Kingdom
2. Denmark
3. Ireland
4. Japan
5. Australia
6. Israel
7. The Netherlands
8. China (including Hong Kong)
9. Switzerland
10. France
11. Germany
12. Iceland
13. Italy
14. Lebanon
15. Singapore
16. Sweden
17. South Korea
18. South Africa
19. Canada
20. Spain
21. United States
22. Portugal
23. India
24. Finland
25. Norway
26. Jordan
27. Brazil
28. Austria
29. Pakistan
30. Jamaica
31. Luxembourg
32. Oman
33. UAE
34. Hungary
35. Czech Republic

The country has so far recorded 17 UK variant cases, 12 of which were traced in Bontoc, Mountain Province.

New conditions

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Roque said foreigners allowed entry in the Philippines need to comply with some guidelines beginning Monday, February 1.

Roque said arriving foreigners should have valid and existing visas at the time of entry, except for those qualified under the Balikbayan program of the government.

Incoming foreigners should also have a pre-booked accommodation for at least seven nights in an accredited quarantine hotel or facility and be subject to COVID-19 testing at the quarantine hotel or facility on the sixth day from the date of their arrival, he added.

The Palace official also said entry of foreign nationals will be subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), the government's policy-making body in COVID-19 response, approved the new guidelines during a meeting on Thursday.  --KBK, GMA News