BI to ban travelers coming from Italy, Iran

Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — Travelers coming from Italy and Iran will not be allowed to enter the Philippines as part of the measures to combat the further spread of COVID-19, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Saturday.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the travel restriction will take effect starting 12 midnight of March 16, which is a health protocol under the guidelines of government’s Code Red Sub-Level 2 alert.

Passengers coming from Iran and Italy in the past 14 days must present a medical certificate by competent health authorities within the last 48 hours prior to their arrival in the Philippines and will be referred to the Bureau of Quarantine.

“Passengers coming from, or has transited through Iran and Italy in the last fourteen days, shall be required to present a medical certificate issued by competent medical authorities within the last 48 hours prior to arrival in the country certifying that they are COVID-2019 free,” Morente said in a statement.

Exempted from the travel ban from Italy are “Filipino citizens including their foreign spouse and children, holders of permanent resident visas, and members of the diplomatic corps.” Those excluded will still undergo government’s health protocol which is 14-day mandatory quarantine.

Morente also said they lifted travel restrictions for Balik-Manggagawa Overseas Filipino Workers going to China.

“Balik-Manggagawa OFWs deployed in China will be allowed to return there, except to those deployed in Hubei Province.  They will be required to execute a declaration signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved,” he said.

Currently, the Philippine government imposed travel ban for travelers going to and from China, Hong Kong, Macau and North Gyeongsang including Daegu and Cheongdo.

The novel coronavirus, which first detected in China in December, has now killed more than 5,000 people, with cases around the world topping 134,000, according to an AFP tally. Fatalities continued to increase in Italy and Iran.

Edited by JPV