Philippine government to ban arrivals from six additional countries
MANILA – Acting favorably on the recommendation from the Departments of Health and Foreign Affairs, the Office of the President opted to include Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan and Brazil among the countries or jurisdictions subject to travel restrictions.
Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque said foreign passengers from or who have been to Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, shall be prohibited from entering the country effective 12:01 A.M. on Friday, January 8,2021 until January 15,2021.
Foreign passengers coming from, or who have been to the countries and jurisdictions mentioned earlier within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, arriving before January 8,2021 at 12:01 A.M. shall be allowed to enter the country. However, they shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, even if they obtain a negative RT-PCR test result.
Meanwhile, Filipino and foreign passengers merely transiting through the abovementioned countries shall be covered by the rules as provided in the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated December 31,2020.
The Office of the President furnished rules on incoming unaccompanied minor Filipino passengers.
Effective 12:01 A.M., January 8,2021, all unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens coming from countries and jurisdictions where travel restrictions are in place due to the new variant of COVID-19, shall not be allowed entry until January 15,2021, except minors returning through the repatriation program of the national government. There repatriated minors shall be turned over to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration house parent who, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), shall ensure the minors’ safety and their observance of quarantine protocols.
Likewise, all unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens who are not part of the repatriation program of the national government, arriving before January 8,2021 at 12:01 A.M., shall be turned over to an authorized DSWD officer who can ensure the minors’ safety and their observance of quarantine protocols.
Much earlier, the Philippine government temporarily banned the entry of travelers from the United Kingdom, United States of America, Israel, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, SAR, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden,, South Korea, South Africa, Canada and Spain on account of the COVID-19 variant. (Melo M. Acuña)
Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque. (Screen grab from Regular Press Briefing/RTVM.PCOO/PTRV4/Melo M. Acuna)
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