Muscat: The restrictions for travel to the Philippines has been extended to 31 January 2021, for travelers from countries with confirmed cases of new Covid-19 strains.
The countries in the list are Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China (People's Republic of China), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom (UK), US, Hungary and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Unaccompanied Filipino minors in the affected countries who are not participants of a repatriation program of the Philippine Government must not be allowed to board the aircraft bound for the Philippines.
Should unaccompanied Filipino minors from affected countries arrive in the Philippines, without the benefit of a Philippine Government repatriation program, they will be turned over to authorized officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), who can ensure their safety and observance of quarantine protocols?
The airline responsible, however, may face penalties based on regulations issued by Philippine Government agencies related to the travel restrictions.
Non-Filipino travelers arriving from these countries between January 17 and 31 will not be allowed to enter the Philippines. This is regardless of visa category, exemptions granted, or relation to Filipino citizens.
Until further notice, receiving any type of vaccination for COVID-19 does not exempt the traveler to the Philippines from the mandatory RT-PCR test upon arrival and subsequent mandatory facility-based quarantine.
Non-Filipino passengers who are coming from the affected countries and have been residing in them within 14 days before arriving in the Philippines;
Non-Filipino passengers who are transiting through the affected countries and who went out of the airports or terminals or were cleared for entry into the above countries while waiting for a connecting flight to the Philippines; and
The above prohibition to enter the Philippines shall apply to all non-Filipino passengers regardless of their visa category (including 9E visa) or previously issued endorsement or exemption from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Allowed to Enter the Philippines:
Filipino passengers who were in the affected countries within 14 days of their arrival in the Philippines are required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period despite a negative RT-PCR test upon arrival;
Filipino passengers who transited in the affected countries and went out of the airports or terminals while waiting for their connecting flight to the Philippines must undergo a strict facility-based 14-day quarantine in the Philippines despite a negative RT-PCR test taken upon arrival in the Philippines;
Filipino and non-Filipino passengers who transited in the affected countries and who only stayed within the airports or terminals in those countries while waiting for their connecting flights to the Philippines and were not cleared for entry into the above countries by the Immigration Authorities, may be allowed home quarantine or a hotel of their choice upon testing negative on RT-PCR test at point of entry.
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