Entry of foreign visitors still banned – Palace
Published Jun 2, 2020 12:00 am
By Genalyn Kabiling
The temporary ban on the entry of foreign visitors in the country will stay for now as the government has yet to decide if it will lift it.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced this, saying the government may face a bigger problem if it allows incoming foreign travelers in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr.(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Roque admitted that lifting the travel restrictions on foreigners might put a strain on the government which is already dealing with surge of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“Wala pa ho tayong desisyon sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) na papasukin ang mga dayuhan (The IATF has no decision yet on whether to allow the entry of foreigners),” he said during a Palace press briefing.
“Alam ninyo po sa OFWs alone eh halos hindi na tayo magkanda-ugaga dahil lahat po ng mga umuuwi ay binibigyan natin ng PCR tests. So magkakaroon pa tayo ng mas malaking problema kung pati mga dayuhan ay pauuwin natin. So, ngayon po wala pang problema (You know we can hardly cope with the OFWs alone because we are conducting PCR tests on all returning OFWs. We may have a bigger problem if foreigners will also be allowed to come. For now, we have no problem),” he added.
The government has required all returning OFWs to undergo coronavirus testing and 14-day facility quarantine upon arrival in the country. After more than 24,000 repatriates were sent home, the government expects 42,000 more workers to arrive in the country this month.
The travel restrictions on foreign travelers have been imposed since the government implemented strict lockdown measures back in March.
Visa-free privileges of foreign nationals have been temporarily suspended by the government. Only foreign government and international organization officials accredited to the country as well as foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals are allowed to enter the country.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr.(CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Roque admitted that lifting the travel restrictions on foreigners might put a strain on the government which is already dealing with surge of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“Wala pa ho tayong desisyon sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) na papasukin ang mga dayuhan (The IATF has no decision yet on whether to allow the entry of foreigners),” he said during a Palace press briefing.
“Alam ninyo po sa OFWs alone eh halos hindi na tayo magkanda-ugaga dahil lahat po ng mga umuuwi ay binibigyan natin ng PCR tests. So magkakaroon pa tayo ng mas malaking problema kung pati mga dayuhan ay pauuwin natin. So, ngayon po wala pang problema (You know we can hardly cope with the OFWs alone because we are conducting PCR tests on all returning OFWs. We may have a bigger problem if foreigners will also be allowed to come. For now, we have no problem),” he added.
The government has required all returning OFWs to undergo coronavirus testing and 14-day facility quarantine upon arrival in the country. After more than 24,000 repatriates were sent home, the government expects 42,000 more workers to arrive in the country this month.
The travel restrictions on foreign travelers have been imposed since the government implemented strict lockdown measures back in March.
Visa-free privileges of foreign nationals have been temporarily suspended by the government. Only foreign government and international organization officials accredited to the country as well as foreign spouses and children of Filipino nationals are allowed to enter the country.