Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello leaves it to the medical experts to decide on whether it is high time to grant the request of overseas Filipino workers to place the United Arab Emirates under the “green list” category.
Speaking in a virtual briefing, Bellor remains non-committal if he or DOLE will lobby the request to the IATF.
“Ang nabibigyan ng mabigat na consideration ay yung opinion ng health sector o medical experts. Sila ang pinapakinggan,” Bello said.
Fully-vaccinated Filipinos coming from green list countries only need test negative in RT-PCR test 3 days before their arrival in the Philippines.
RELATED STORY: UAE to remain in PH’s ‘yellow list’ till October 31
There will also be no facility-based quarantine after getting a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin but the the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day.
UAE is currently under the yellow list of countries.
The labor chief however admits that the list of green countries do not have a lot of returning OFWs.
“Wala nga atang Pilipino o OFWs mula roon sa listahan nila,” he lamented.
Citing United Arab Emirates’ high vaccination rate, OFWs in UAE are urging the Inter-Agency Task Force to reconsider scrapping mandatory quarantine for travelers from the Emirates.
“Naka-dalawang uri na kami ng Vaccine dito sa UAE.. apat na turok na kami sa dalawang Vaccine.. Sinopharm at Pfizer.. Yellow list pa rin ang UAE.. Dyan sa pinas ayusin ang vaccine ng tao ung iba nga wala pa.. Pambihira talaga kayo,” a netizen said.
“Sana dinggin nila mga OFW dito sa Dubai, halos lahat tayo kumpleto na bakuna, yung iba ko ngang kakilala, 4 pa turok Sinopharm at Pfizer,” another netizen said.
“Number 1 rank ang UAE sa vaccination..yellow list pa rin tau!?!?ano pang qualification gusto nila!?,” another netizen said.
