Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. (FILE) Photo courtesy of the Department of Tourism
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has proposed the creation of a “green lane” that will facilitate the entry of foreign travelers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
In a statement on Friday, the DOT said the green lane will help vaccinated travelers have an easier entry to the country for leisure in a bid to revive the tourism sector.
“The green lane will pave the way for the reopening of our tourist destinations to leisure travelers who are now fully vaccinated. It will give the jobs back to many of our tourism workers and gradually revive the tourism industry under safe conditions,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
Puyat noted that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has tasked the DOT and other government agencies to explore protocols for inbound international travel for fully vaccinated individuals.
According to Puyat, a Small Working Group (SWG) has been formed to evaluate the possibility of implementing “green lanes.” The SWG is headed by the DOT and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The group is also composed of the Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Transportation, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the Department of Trade and Industry.
In pushing for the proposal, Puyat said several countries have already opened up their major destinations to fully vaccinated foreign travelers.
“We must keep pace with our neighbors and the rest of the world in slowly reopening our tourist destinations. We must be ready for the visitors when the whole world is ready to safely travel again,” the Tourism Chief said.
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