Philippines to lift travel ban on 10 countries including Sri Lanka

The Philippines will lift its ban on the entry of travelers from 10 countries starting next week.

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approves the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force to lift the current travel restrictions in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia starting September 6, 2021,” the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said Saturday in a statement.

“International travelers coming from the abovementioned countries shall, however, comply with the appropriate entry, testing, and quarantine protocols, depending on the country’s approved ‘listing’,” it added.

Countries, jurisdictions, and territories will be under “Yellow List” and “Red List” and “Green List,” depending on the number of new cases and testing rates in those areas.

The task force earlier said fully vaccinated travelers from Green List areas or those with low COVID-19 risk should go through a seven-day facility-based quarantine upon arrival in the country.

The updated Green List can be found here.

The IATF said travelers coming from Yellow territories, countries, or jurisdictions, which are tagged as moderate risk for COVID-19, shall complete a 10-day facility quarantine then another four-day home quarantine. They also have to undergo an RT-PCR test on the seventh day of quarantine. The Bureau of Quarantine must also strictly monitor them during their 10-day stay in the quarantine facility in case they develop symptoms, the IATF added.

“The foregoing shall be subject to special protocols approved by the IATF or the Office of the President for certain classes of travelers or ports of origin,” the task force added.

Meanwhile, travelers from the Red areas or those classified as high risk for COVID-19, except for repatriates, shall not be allowed to enter the country. The entry protocols for travelers from the Yellow List will also be applied to repatriates from the Red countries, jurisdictions, and territories.

The task force has yet to announce the countries, jurisdictions, and territories in the Yellow and Red lists.

Source: CNN Philippines