Palace: Duterte to be informed about Taiwan’s plea for travel ban exclusion

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday said it will relay to President Rodrigo Duterte the appeal of Taiwan to reconsider its inclusion in the temporary travel ban that the government enforced amid the outbreak of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus). 

“We will relay to the President the request to reconsider the travel ban to Taiwan,” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters in an ambush interview. 

Taiwan has asked the Philippine government to reconsider its inclusion in the travel ban, insisting that it is a sovereign state and not part of the People’s Republic of China.

Panelo, however, said Taiwan’s inclusion in the temporary travel ban on China and its special administrative regions – Macau and Hong Kong, was imposed by the President “pursuant to the recommendation of the World Health Organization” (WHO). 

READ: Taiwan included in temporary travel ban – DOH

Malacañang earlier said the travel ban on Taiwan stays unless WHO recommends lifting it. 

The announcement of Taiwan’s inclusion in the travel ban prompted local airlines like Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines to cancel some of its flights to and from Taiwan.

Edited by KGA

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