The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that they will be implementing a directive from the Malacanang on the inclusion of aliens from Czech Republic in the list of those restricted from the country.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, in an advisory, announced the expansion. “We have received a directive expanding the travel restrictions to include aliens coming from the Czech Republic, or those who have been there within 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines,” said Morente. “This will take effect 0001H of January 28, until the end of the month,” he added.
The move makes the total the number of restricted countries 36.
Currently, the BI is implementing a travel ban on aliens with a travel history within the last 14 days from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, The Netherlands, The People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain, and the United States.
Included in the travel ban are those coming from Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, Brazil, Austria, Pakistan, Jamaica, Luxembourg, and Oman.
The Malacanang also recently ordered the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates and Hungary to those who are temporarily restricted.
Source: Bureau of Immigration, Republic of the Philippines
BI to include Czech Republic in travel restrictions
In 2020, there were only 3,184 Czechs who entered the Philippines before the country imposed travel restrictions due to Covid-19 and its new variants.
Meanwhile, the Philippines would be implementing new COVID-19 testing guidelines and quarantine measures for travelers arriving in the Philippines starting February 1.
The revised protocols are part of the country’s move to prevent the spread of more infectious variants of the coronavirus.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Wednesday that arriving passengers, regardless of their origin, will be required to undergo facility-based quarantine upon arrival. He added it was the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) made on Tuesday.
RT-PCR tests would no longer be upon arrival but on the fifth day from their date of arrival in the country unless the traveler shows symptoms before the date of testing.
Those who would test negative for COVID-19 would be endorsed to their respective local government units, but would still have to finish the remainder of their 14-day quarantine.