Passengers from US arrive at NAIA ahead of COVID-19 variant ban

All the passengers of a direct flight from Los Angeles which arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 on Saturday would be allowed to enter the country given that the new travel restrictions imposed due to the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) variant had yet to take effect.

“Lahat ng dumating today (Saturday) from the United Sates hindi pa sakop ng ating travel restrictions. The travel restrictions for those who will be coming from the United States will start at 12-midnight of January 3, so mamayang hatinggabi ‘yan,” said Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval in JP Soriano’s report on “24 Oras Weekend.”

“Everyone who arrived now may be allowed to enter but subject po to 14-day strict quarantine, so i-re-refer po natin ‘yan sa one-stop shop,” Sandoval added.

The US is included in the list of 21 countries subject to travel restrictions due to the threat of the new coronavirus variant found in the United Kingdom.

Due to the ban, all foreigners from 21 countries will be prohibited from entering the country. They will be immediately sent back to their country of origin.

Meanwhile, Filipinos, including overseas Filipino workers, would be allowed to enter. However, they must undergo a mandatory 14-day facility-based quarantine.

Foreigners from countries not included in the 21 countries covered by the ban will be allowed to enter the country but must also undergo a 14-day quarantine.

“For example, a foreign national goes to one of the countries in the 210 countries pero nagpunta siya sa ibang bansa and stayed there for a week or so, pagdating po niya sa immigration, makikita po natin ang kanilang travel history na nanggaling po siya doon within the last 14 days,” Sandoval explained. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News