MANILA, Philippines — Returning Filipinos are no longer obligated to fill out and submit disembarkation cards upon arrival at airports in the country, said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) Tuesday.
“This move is part of BI’s efforts to ease its travel requirements for arriving Filipinos and facilitate their fast and hassle-free entry into their own country,” BI Port Divisions chief Carlos Capulong said in a statement.
Capulong explained that the said policy was implemented following the decline in the number of COVID-19 infections in the country — which he said makes filling out disembarkation cards to the BI no longer necessary for arriving Filipinos.
“We required the submission of these disembarkation cards by arriving Filipinos to help the government in its contact tracing efforts at the height of the pandemic. Now that COVID cases are declining, these cards can now be dispensed with,” Capulong said.
The adjustment, according to Capulong, will significantly lessen the requirements and processing time of arriving Filipinos.
The policy had also been approved by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente.
RELATED STORIES
Jobs, income concerns persist as more OFWs return to PH for good
Foreigners, Filipinos entering PH may present negative lab-based COVID-19 antigen results