Marcos: PH may require COVID-19 tests on travelers from China based on 'true risk'

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said the Philippines may require COVID-19 tests on travelers from China, depending on the "true risk" to Filipinos.

In a video sent to reporters by the Office of the Press Secretary, Marcos was asked if additional testing restrictions would be imposed by the Philippines after other countries announced mandatory testing of travelers from China.

"As long as it’s based on science and we feel that there’s a need, we will do it. But again, it depends on what the true risk is to us," Marcos said.

"[If] it’s something that is manageable, then I’m sure we can find a way to not completely close our borders to China but to find a way to have a procedure so that those coming from China who may have been exposed or who may have been infected will be tested," he added.

In November, Malacañang approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to ease testing and quarantine protocols for inbound travelers to the Philippines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista earlier said the government could impose stricter travel requirements on visitors coming from China, noting that the Philippines should be very cautious in accepting these inbound travelers because of the spike in cases.

Bautista wants an RT-PCR, the gold standard in COVID-19 testing, upon arrival.

COVID-19 is surging in China, with doctors reporting that hospitals are overwhelmed with five to six-times more patients than usual, most of them elderly.

China has also decided to reclassify COVID-19 deaths—a move analysts said would dramatically downplay the fatalities and not reflect the true death toll.

International health experts estimate millions of daily infections and predict at least one million COVID-19 deaths in China next year.

India, Taiwan, Italy, Japan, and the US have announced they will be requiring COVID-19 tests of visitors from China.

Despite the increase in the number of cases, Marcos will still push through with his state visit to China from January 3 to 5. —NB/BM, GMA Integrated News