By Samuel P. Medenilla & Recto Mercene
FILIPINO tourists are now banned from traveling to South Korea, including Jeju Island, amid the growing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Asian country.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) made the decision to minimize the exposure of Filipinos to the dreaded virus.
The task force has also resolved to impose travel restrictions for passengers coming from North Gyeongsang province, South Korea, including Daegu City and Cheongdo County, effective immediately.
In an ambush interview with Palace reporters on Wednesday night, however, President Duterte said the government will tread with caution on expanding the travel ban to include all travelers from South Korea.
“No, I cannot do that. No country could do that. Why would you…you cannot do that. If the guy is healthy why would you…there cannot be a total travel ban…you are going to lock down the entire Philippines for that. It ain’t that way. For those who are healthy, they should come in. And for those who have been identified from the countries [with high rates of infection], then that is the time we could raise the objection [to a passenger’s] entry,” Duterte said.
However, he supported the task force decision to temporarily stop Filipino tourists from going to South Korea. “But me personally, if you ask, my answer now is I cannot do it. I will not allow ‘yung travel doon [travel there].”
In an earlier media briefing with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and DOH Assistant Secretary for Public Health Services Maria Rosario Vergeire, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that they will be strictly implementing the ban and will continously monitor the situation in South Korea.
He said that Filipinos and their foreign spouses or children, and holders of permanent resident and diplomatic visas will be allowed entry to the Philippines subject to existing screening and quarantine protocols. The travel restriction will be reviewed and reevaluated within the |next 48 hours based on new developments.
On the other hand, any travel by Filipino tourists to South Korea will be temporarily suspended. Only permanent residents of South Korea, Filipinos leaving for study, and OFWs returning for work will be allowed, provided that they sign a written declaration acknowledging the risks involved, which will be complemented with a health advisory pamphlet.
“The safety and security of Filipinos here and the outside the Philippines remain our primary concern. Our countrymen’s welfare is foremost in our minds as concerned officials discuss updates and recommendations on the management of the coronavirus,” Panelo said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Covid-19 has already infected 80,239 people as of February 25.
South Korea has the second-most number of confirmed Covid-19 cases at 977, only coming next to China’s 142,823 cases.
Most of the cases in South Korea are in its North Gyeongsang province.
As for the other parts of South Korea, the Task Force, said Panelo, “will conduct a risk assessment of the situation…within 48 hours to analyze whether it is necessary to expand the travel ban thereto.”
Local tourist operators have warned against the negative impact to the local tourism sector of the imposition of a travel ban for South Korea, which is the top source of the Philippines’s foreign tourists.
Quarantine unit
All passengers coming from South Korea are subjected to closer examination with thermal scanners, as Korea’s Centers Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has reported new Covid-19 cases among citizens.
On Wednesday (February 26) the airport Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) unit scanned passengers coming from Incheon, South Korea on an Asiana flight that arrived at 10:45 am and Korean Airlines, at 11:20 am.
The BOQ fears that other passengers might have stayed for a longer period in Cheongdo county and Daegu City, in North Gyeongsang province where the most infections ballooned.
There are 11 incoming flights from Incheon, arriving every day at the three Naia terminals.
It was reported that Singapore will no longer allow the entry of visitors from Cheongdo county and Daegu City—designated by the Singapore Ministry of Health as special care zones after a spike of Covid-19 cases.
The move was to come into effect on Wednesday at 11:59 pm and applies to all new short-term visitors who have travelled to the two areas in the last 14 days.
The rapidly evolving situation means travelers from these places pose a heightened risk to Singapore, authorities said.
Returning Singapore residents and long-term pass holders with recent travel history to the two areas will be issued with a Stay-Home Notice, which requires them to remain home for 14 days after returning to Singapore, reports said.
South Korea has reported 977 confirmed cases as of Tuesday, a majority of which are linked to a religious sect in Daegu city, while more than 100 are linked to a Cheongdo hospital.
With Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
Image credits: Kim Jong-un/Yonhap via AP,