RICHARD A. REYES/INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — Fully vaccinated citizens of nonvisa-required countries may enter the Philippines in the first half of December, subject to certain conditions.
Malacañang on Friday released Resolution 150-A of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), which outlines the new policy for the entry of select foreign nationals.
“This is something we are doing step by step. We will make proper adjustments … while we are monitoring its implementation on the ground. If we [need to] extend it, we will extend it,” Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said at a press briefing.
Who may enter
The new policy was issued a week after the IATF approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from “green list” countries.
Visa-free privileges have been suspended since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Under IATF Resolution 150-A, foreign nationals with visa-free privileges may enter the country from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15 if they are holding passports valid for at least six months as well as outbound tickets to their country of origin or next destination, and if they have stayed exclusively in green list countries for 14 days.
The Department of Foreign Affairs’ website has a list of countries whose citizens may stay in the Philippines for 30 days without a visa.
Green list countries are those deemed low-risk for COVID-19 transmission.
RT-PCR test
The traveler meeting these requirements should also present proof of COVID-19 vaccination, such as international certificates of vaccination and prophylaxis from the World Health Organization or VaxCertPH, or a national or state digital certification from a foreign government that recognizes VaxCertPH.
The traveler should also present a negative result of a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.
The traveler will not be required to undergo facility-based quarantine or on-arrival RT-PCR test, but will be “enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day, with the first day being the date of arrival.”
Travelers who transited through nongreen-list countries are not considered to have originated or visited those areas if they stayed at the airport and were not cleared for entry by immigration.
Testing and quarantine protocols for minors will follow the protocols of the parent or guardian traveling with them.
Fully vaccinated persons who fail to comply with the test-before-travel requirement will follow protocols for unvaccinated persons coming from green list countries. They will be required to undergo facility-based quarantine and a RT-PCR test on the fifth day.
Upon their release with a negative result, they will be required to self-monitor for symptoms until the 14th day.