What tourists should have when visiting PH
A GOOD-LOOKING friend of mine is coming home for a vacation from the United States and she’s looking for places to unwind with buddies.
She’s concerned bars and restaurants could be unavailable due to restrictions in the country amid the pandemic.
I said many venues for fun and entertainment are now open in Metro Manila so her concern is addressed.
But I told her requirements for entry in the Philippines should be the issue at hand.
Foreign tourists planning to visit the Philippines have been reminded by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to prepare all entry requirements for seamless travel.
This came as the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) issued Resolution No. 160-B, which details the new entry, testing, and quarantine protocols for foreigners coming from 157 visa-free countries, starting February 10.
The new guidelines issued by the IATF are an indication that, while the country has opened its borders to fully vaccinated business and leisure visitors, it is doing so with utmost care and with full regard for the health and safety of both visitors and the general public.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said based on the IATF’s resolution, all arriving visitors must be able to present the following:
– Acceptable proof of vaccination
– Negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours before the date and time of departure from the country of origin/first port of embarkation in a continuous travel to the Philippines, excluding lay-overs for their return journey
– Valid tickets for their return journey to the port of origin or next port of destination not later than 30 days from the date of arrival in the Philippines
– Passports valid for a period of at least six months at the time of their arrival to the Philippines
– Travel insurance for Covid-19 treatment costs from reputed insurers, with a minimum coverage of $35,000 for the duration of their stay in the Philippines
Romulo-Puyat said only fully vaccinated foreign visitors will be allowed entry to the country.
Children below 12 years old will be exempted if they are traveling with fully vaccinated foreign parents.
In the case of unvaccinated foreign children below 12 years old who are traveling with their Filipino parent/s, they shall be allowed entry and will be required to follow the entry, testing, and quarantine protocols that apply to their Filipino parent/s.
Meanwhile, those between 12 to 17 years old must follow the protocols based on their vaccination status and shall be accompanied by their parents during their facility-based quarantine.
An individual is deemed fully vaccinated if he or she received the second dose in a two-dose series or a single dose vaccine more than 14 days before the date and time of departure from the point of origin.
While foreign visitors will not be required to undergo facility-based quarantine, Romulo-Puyat reminded arriving travelers that they should continue self-monitoring and report to the local government unit of their destination should they exhibit any coronavirus disease 2019 symptoms.
Indeed, the opening of our borders to eligible foreign visitors and the rebound of the tourism industry can only mean the restoration of the livelihood of millions of Filipinos working in tourism-related establishments and businesses who have been displaced by the pandemic.
It will contribute greatly to the eventual revival of the Philippine economy, Romulo-Puyat said.
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