A TRAVEL ban to include passengers coming from Malaysia and Thailand starting July 25 until July 31 will be implemented by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The move is pursuant to the most recent directive from Malacanang which adds the two countries to the eight that are already temporarily banned, in an effort to prevent the further spread and community transmission of emerging COVID-19 variants.

The other countries covered by the travel ban are India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.

“Foreigners arriving from said countries or with a travel history there within the last 14 days will be denied entry and will immediately be sent back to their port of origin On the other hand, Filipinos arriving from these countries as part of repatriation efforts by the government and non-government sectors will be allowed entry but will be subjected to set protocols by other government agencies,” said BI Commissioner Jaime Morente.

It was learned that those who are already in transit and will be arriving before July 25 will be allowed entry but will be required to undergo a strict 14-day facility-based quarantine.

Travel ban covers Thailand, Malaysia amid Delta variant threat

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos July 23, 2021, 12:18 pm

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved the travel restrictions for all travelers coming from Malaysia and Thailand or those with travel history to Malaysia and Thailand within the last 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.

“This action is undertaken to prevent the further spread and community transmission of Covid-19 variants in the Philippines,” Roque said.

Nations already included in the travel ban are India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, and Oman.

Filipinos who are part of repatriation efforts or special commercial flights are not covered by the travel restrictions, he said.

“But they have to follow the prescribed testing and quarantine protocols,” he added.

The Philippines on Thursday logged 12 new local cases of the Delta Covid-19 variant, bringing the total case count of the more infectious coronavirus to 47.

Across the Asia-Pacific region, including Southeast Asia, the Delta variant is driving new outbreaks.

Malaysia and Thailand are seeing surges in their cases due to the Delta variant, reporting more than 13,000 cases each as of July 22.

The Delta coronavirus variant, which was first detected in India, is found to be 60 percent more infectious than the Alpha variant and is believed to be behind the surge in cases in other countries.

Medical experts have noted that a person who contracts the Delta variant can infect five to eight people.

On Monday, Duterte sought stricter health measures in preparation for the possible local transmission of the “more aggressive and fatal” Covid-19 Delta variant in the country. With Philippine News Agency