TOURISM stakeholders welcomed the reopening of the Philippines to international travelers from Green List countries, as government cut the new quarantine schemes for vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers.
Tourism Congress of the Philippines president Jose C. Clemente III told the BusinessMirror, “After almost two years, we are very pleased to know that foreign visitors from the Green List countries will soon be allowed to enter the Philippines without need for a quarantine period. We hope that this is the start of the revival of the tourism industry moving forward.”
He added: “We also continue to remind our stakeholders to not let their guard down despite the eased conditions. The pandemic is still around and we reiterate our call to continue observing health and safety protocols to ensure that we can remain open.”
On Thursday, the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from Green List countries/territories/jurisdictions. Guidelines on their arrival are still being finalized by the Special Technical Working Group on Travel, with sources averring that the target reopening is “before December.” (See, “PHL to open borders to fully vaxxed tourists from green-list nations soon,” in the BusinessMirror, November 19, 2021.)
Shorter quarantine for balikbayans
The Department of Tourism (DOT), meanwhile, welcomed the IATF’s decision to shorten the hotel quarantine period for fully vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and balikbayans from Yellow List countries, from five days to just three days starting Monday, November 22. The bulk of balikbayans (homecoming Filipinos) are from the United States and Canada.
According to an IATF decision last Thursday, fully vaccinated balikbayans from Yellow List countries with a negative RT-PCR result from pre-departure testing within 72 hours, shall only be required to undergo a three-day facility-based quarantine. Government-accredited medical technicians will RT-PCR test them on the third day of quarantine. Upon receipt of a negative test, they can immediately leave their hotels, but are enjoined to complete self-monitoring up to the 14th day from arrival.
However, those without pre-departure RT-PCR testing will have to quarantine in an accredited hotel and be RT-PCR tested on the fifth day. They can leave their hotel as soon as they receive a negative test result, but monitor themselves during home quarantine until the 10th day from arrival.
Unvaccinated arrivals shall quarantine in a hotel, with RT-PCR testing done on the seventh day, to be followed by home quarantine up to 14th day upon release of a negative test result.
“This latest development will greatly contribute to the ongoing recovery of the tourism sector this holiday season while also providing more time to those who want to return home to be with their loved ones in the Philippines,” said Tourism Secretary Romulo Puyat.
No quarantine for vaxxed greenlisters
Also starting Monday, as per IATF Resolution No. 149-A issued on November 18, 2021, fully vaccinated Filipinos and foreigners from Green List countries with a negative RT-PCR result from a test taken 72 hours prior to departure, will no longer need to quarantine upon arrival.
“For unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated, and those vaccinated but failed to comply with the above test-before-travel requirements, [they are required to undergo] facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day and self-monitor until the 14th day of arrival, with the date of arrival being the first day,” as per said IATF resolution.
Foreigners in this case are diplomats; business persons and investors endorsed by the relevant national government agencies; foreign seafarers on ship rotation; holders of special non-immigrant visas, special retirement and investors visa; and other foreign nationals allowed entry by the IATF and relevant Philippine immigration laws.
Banned from entry are those from Red List countries, except for Filipinos on emergency repatriation. The latter will have to quarantine at a hotel for 10 days, with testing done on the seventh day of arrival.