Govt allows entry of foreigners in PH starting August 1

THE Philippines will allow the entry of foreign nationals with long-term visas in the country starting August 1, Malacañang said on Friday, as the government sought to revive the economy shut down by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the decision to allow foreigners to enter the country was reached by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) following a meeting on Thursday.

“The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) yesterday, July 16, allowed the entry of foreign nationals with long-term visas in the country beginning August 1, 2020. The IATF, however, set conditions prior to the entry of these foreign nationals,” Roque said in a statement.

Roque said foreigners traveling to the Philippines must have valid and existing visas, which according to him, “means no new entry visa shall be accepted.”

“They are likewise subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry, as returning overseas Filipinos will be given priority,” Roque said.

“Foreign nationals must also secure a pre-booked accredited quarantine facility and a pre-booked Covid-19 testing provider,” he added.

This came a week after the government eased travel restrictions for Filipinos, allowing them to travel abroad even for tourism-related trips.

The government banned the entry of foreigners as a precaution against the spread of the new coronavirus disease.

Visa issuance to foreigners has been suspended since the government imposed the strict quarantine measures last March to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Thursday, the Philippines recorded 61,266 Covid-19 cases nationwide with 1,643 fatalities and 21,440 recoveries.