PHILIPPINE health authorities have revised entry protocols and expanded the list of “Red” countries in a bid to further protect our country’s borders against COVID-19 and its variants.

Effective November 28, 2021, arrival protocols for green and yellow countries or regions had become uniform.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) announced that “except for countries classified as “Red,” the testing and quarantine protocols for all inbound international travelers in all ports of entry shall comply with the testing and quarantine protocols for “Yellow” list countries.”

The IATF also clarified that travelers from Hong Kong shall comply with such protocols for ‘Yellow’ countries orregions.

Overseas Filipinos, overseas Filipino workers, eligible foreigners arriving from green and yellow countries, must take note of the following:

For fully vaccinated travelers with a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours prior departure: facility-based quarantine until release of negative results; third day swabbing and self-monitoring until 14th day from arrival.

For those without a negative RT-PCR test:facility-based quarantine until release of negative results; fifth day swabbing and home quarantine until the 10th day from arrival.

In the case of travelers who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated:facility-based quarantine until release of negative results; seventh day swabbing and home quarantine until the 14th day from arrival.

The revised Red List now includes: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy.

Inbound international travel shall not be allowed for all persons, regardless of vaccination status, coming from or who have been to Red List countries/regions within the last 14 days prior to arrival to any port of the Philippines.

Only Filipinos returning to the country via government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation and Bayanihan Flights may be allowed entry subject to the prevailing entry, testing, and quarantine protocols for Red List countries — facility-based quarantine for 14 days with testing on the 7th day, with day 1 being the date of arrival, notwithstanding a negative RT-PCR result.

The IATF has suspended the entry of fully vaccinated foreign tourists of non-visa required countries from Green List countries/regions.

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Jokjok (from Juanito Cabrera of Malabon City)—PEDRO: My attitude is based on how you will treat me/JUAN: Ha? Ano ibig mo sabihin pare? Alam mo naman mahina ako sa Ingles/PEDRO: Ang sabi ko, ang aking ugali ay base kung paano mo ako ililibre, pare. Ganun.

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AUTHOR PROFILE

Itchie G. Cabayan