COVID-19 Update: Philippines

Further to the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated 5 January 2021 regarding the additional measures to be observed relative to the SARS-COV-2 Variant Detected in the United Kingdom, the travel restrictions have been updated as follows:

Inclusion of Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil among the countries/jurisdictions subject to travel restrictions.

1. Foreign passengers coming from or who have been to Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan and Brazil within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines shall be prohibited from entering the country with effect from 0001h 8 January 2021 Manila time until 15 January 2021;
2. Effective immediately, foreign passengers coming from or who have been to the aforesaid countries/jurisdictions within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, arriving before 0001h 8 January 2021 Manila time, shall not be prohibited from entering Philippines but shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period notwithstanding a negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) result;
3. Effective immediately, Filipino residents coming from, or who have been to the aforesaid countries/jurisdictions within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, including those arriving after 0001h 8 January 2021 Manila time, shall not be prohibited from entering the country but shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period notwithstanding a negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) result; and
4. Filipino and foreign passengers transiting through the aforesaid countries/jurisdictions shall be covered by the rules as provided in paragraph II of the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated 31 December 2020.

Rules on incoming unaccompanied minor Filipino passengers

1. With effect from 0001h 8 January 2021, all unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens coming from countries/jurisdictions where travel restrictions are in place on account of the UK variant pursuant to the directives of this Office, shall not be allowed entry until 15 January 2021, except if such minors are returning through the repatriation programme of the national government. The repatriated minors shall be turned over to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration house parent who, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), shall ensure the minors’ safety and their observance of quarantine protocols.
2. All unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens who are not part of the repatriation programme of the national government, arriving prior to 0001h 8 January 2021, shall be turned over to an authorised DSWD officer who can similarly ensure their safety and observance of quarantine protocols

In view thereof, below are the supplementary guidelines in Immigration Arrival Formalities:

I. For arriving Filipino Nationals

1. Subject to the rule on unaccompanied minors below, all Filipino citizens shall be allowed entry.
2. Unaccompanied minors
   1. With effect from 0001h 8 January 2021 until 15 January 2021, all unaccompanied minors from travel-restricted countries prior to 0001h 8 January 2021 shall not be allowed entry except those who are part of the repatriation programme of the national government, who shall be turned over to OWWA and the DSWD upon arrival in the Philippines;
   2. With immediate effect, all unaccompanied minors who are arriving from travel-restricted countries prior to 0001h 8 January 2021 shall be allowed entry and turned over to the DSWD;
   3. With immediate effect, all unaccompanied minors from non-travel-restricted countries shall be allowed entry.

All Filipino citizens allowed entry shall be subject to RT-PCR test, quarantine and isolation protocols issued by the DOH.

II. For arriving foreign nationals

1. Those coming from or who have been to the 27 travel-restricted countries (i.e. with immigration admission to said countries and not mere lay-over at the airport), within 14 days immediately preceding arrival to the Philippines shall not be allowed entry. The above prohibition to enter the Philippines shall apply to all foreigners regardless of their visa category, or previously issued endorsement or exemption from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) / privileges (under RA6768 / Balikbayan) during the duration of the travel ban, except those covered by the IATF-MEID Resolution N0.92 series of 2021.
2. Those who (a) transited or who have a layover at the airport of the 27 travel-restricted countries (layover only at the airport and with no immigration admission at said countries); and (b) those not coming from these countries may be allowed entry, provided they are authorised to enter the country through relevant resolutions of the IATF-MEID and subject to the RT-PCR test, quarantine and isolation protocols issued by the DOH.

Existing guidelines for arriving crew members shall still be observed.

All of the foregoing is without prejudice to the exercise of the mandate of the Bureau of Immigration in Arrival and Departure Formalities.

For further details or information about operations in the Philippines, contact GAC Philippines at [email protected]