Philippines extends travel ban to 34 countries until end of the month amid new strain of COVID-19
Starting Jan. 17 passengers coming from, or who have been to any of the countries listed below within fourteen (14) days preceding their arrival in the Philippines will not be allowed to enter the country.
Those who will arrive before Jan. 17 will be permitted to enter the Philippines, but must isolate for fourteen (14) days in a quarantine facility regardless of their RT-PCR result.
Filipino citizens who came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hungary, however, are allowed to enter the country provided that they isolate for fourteen (14) days in a quarantine facility.
Due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus pandemic, more countries have been added to the list on which a temporary travel restriction is imposed. The ban on these 34 countries is effective until the end of January 2021.
On Friday, Jan. 15, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has approved the recommendation to extend the travel ban. This will prohibit travelers arriving from countries with reported cases of the new COVID-19 strain called B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 to enter the country.
The IATF-EID Resolution issued yesterday states that the temporary travel ban is applicable to “all travelers coming from or transiting”—which may mean both foreigners and Filipino citizens—through the banned countries.
The list consists of the following countries:
- The United Kingdom
- Denmark
- Ireland
- Japan
- Australia
- Israel
- The Netherlands
- The People's Republic of China including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Switzerland
- France
- Germany
- Iceland
- Italy
- Lebanon
- Singapore
- Sweden
- South Korea
- South Africa
- Canaa
- Spain
- United States of America
- Portugal
- India
- Finland
- Norway
- Jordan
- Brazil
- Austria
- Pakistan
- Jamaica
- Luxembourg
- Oman
- United Arab Emirates
- Hungary
The travel ban extension comes after a male Filipino, who arrived from the United Arab Emirates, was confirmed to be positive for the more infectious variant of COVID-19 last Jan. 13. The following day, Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he would recommend for UAE to be added on the list.