The Philippines is reopening for fully vaccinated foreign leisure travelers, in a bid to restore jobs and help businesses that were heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
This move comes into force on February 10.
As per IATF guidelines, international travelers ariving from visa-free countries must present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.
A total of 157 countries enjoy visa-free entry privileges to the Philippines, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat hailed the decision saying: “We at the DOT are very thankful to our partners in the IATF-EID (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) for approving our proposal to allow the entry of foreign leisure travelers. The Department sees this as a welcome development that will contribute significantly to job restoration, primarily in tourism-dependent communities, and in the reopening of businesses that have earlier shut down during the pandemic.”
On Friday, the IATF scrapped facility-based quarantine for arriving overseas Filipinos and foreign nationals, effective February 1.
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IATF Resolution No. 159 temporarily suspended the COVID-19 risk classification (red, yellow, green list) for travelers.
The quarantine requirements for arriving passengers will now be based on their vaccination status.
The IATFT resolution states the following requirements:
“Fully vaccinated international arriving passengers shall be required to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure from the country of origin.
“Upon arrival, they shall no longer be required to observe mandatory facility-based quarantine.
“Shall self-monitor for any signs or symptoms for 7 days, with the first day being the date of arrival and shall be required to report to the local government unit of destination upon the manifestation of symptoms, if any.”
For unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travelers, they must submit a negative RT-PCR test result taken within 48 hours before departure and must undergo facility-based quarantine until they get a negative test result taken on the 5th day.
They must complete their 14-day quarantine at home.
