The Philippine government has ordered suspension on travellers from countries with cases of new coronavirus variant.
The ban will take effect starting tomorrow, December 30, until January 15 according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque.
The travel restrictions however exempts overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
On Monday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello advised OFWs based in the United Kingdom to refrain from travelling back to the Philippines amid the new coronavirus variant discovered there.
“Uuwi dito, magbabakasyon. Maka-quarantine ng 14 days. Sayang ‘yung panahon eh. Eh di hintayin na lang nila na gaganda ang panahon,” Bello said in an interview with GMA News.
Bello said that OFWs are still allowed to enter the country, but if the time will be limited it will be better to postpone their trips first.
“Eh ‘yun ay payo lang naman. Kung gusto nilang umuwi, eh di OK lang. Kaya lang dadaan lang ng 14-day quarantine,” he said.
Bello made the suggestion to President Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend to ban OFWs from travelling to the country amid the new coronavirus variant.
The President however said that OFWs should be given the option to go home no matter what.
