More foreigners leaving PH amid COVID-19 pandemic — BI

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Saturday said it is seeing a large number of foreign nationals leaving the Philippines amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Nakikita po natin parang nagkaroon po ng exodus ang mga foreign nationals dito sa bansa for the first time po siguro in history or in a long time na mas marami po yung umaalis kaysa sa dumadating po,” Sandoval said during the Laging Handa online press briefing.

(We are seeing an exodus of foreign nationals here in the country, for the first time in history maybe or in a long time that more foreign nationals are leaving the country than arriving.)

Sandoval said that based on the BI’s data, 1.5 million foreign nationals arrived in the country to date. Meanwhile, 2 million foreign nationals exited the Philippines.

“We see this trend po until the end of the year or until early next year na marami pong umaalis kahit may pandemic (that many are leaving the country despite the pandemic),” Sandoval added.

Previously, Palace spokesman Harry Roque announced that starting Dec. 7, the foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens, along with returning Filipinos or “balikbayans,” are allowed to enter the country, provided that they secure a booking at a quarantine facility and have a swab test schedule at Philippine airports.

In November, the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) also allowed the entry of foreigners with investors visas.

/MUF