The Philippines will ban travelers from India or travelers with recent travel history to the South Asian Countries within the 14 days preceding arrival from April 29 to May 14, Malacañang announced on April 27.
According to CNN Philippines, “All travelers coming from India or those with travel history to India within the last fourteen (14) days preceding arrival shall be prohibited from entering the Philippines beginning 0001H of April 29, 2021, until May 14, 2021,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.
According to The Manila Times, Roque, who also serves as the spokesman for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), said passengers already in transit from India and those who were there within 14 days immediately preceding arrival to the Philippines who arrive before April 29 shall be allowed to enter the country.
However, they will have to undergo stricter quarantine and testing protocols.
“Restrictions as to travelers coming from other countries that report the new strain may be imposed by the Office of the President upon the joint recommendation of the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),” Roque said.
“The Department of Transportation should ensure that airlines are directed not to allow the boarding of passengers entering the country pursuant to travel restrictions imposed by the Office of the President and IATF resolutions except if they are part of the repatriation efforts of the national government,” he added.
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According to CNN Philippines, in a message sent to reporters, Foreign Affairs Executive Director for Strategic Communications Ivy Banzon-Abalos explained the exception does not only include overseas Filipino workers, but all Filipino citizens who need assistance to return to the country.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier revealed that the DoH and the DFA discussed the possible imposition of a travel ban because of a new Covid-19 variant (B1617) detected in the South Asian nation.
Since a "double mutant" variant of COVID-19 was detected in India, the country is experiencing the world's worst outbreak.
The Philippine Health department mentions the double-mutant variant — formally named B1617 — has so far reached six countries but is yet to be detected in the Philippines, according to.
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