The airports in Luzon will no longer operate outbound international flights starting Friday, March 20, as the Philippine government enforces an “enhanced community quarantine” which, in effect, is a total lockdown of the island.
Meanwhile, online gambling firms have been temporarily suspended under the government’s enhanced community quarantine implemented in the whole of Luzon, a Palace official said late Monday night.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that, aside from malls and hotels, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs will also be closed until the coronavirus disease 2019 situation in the country improves.
“We didn’t discuss it, so if we didn’t discuss then it means it’s closed,” he said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
Under the rules by the Inter-Agency Task Force, outbound foreigners “shall be allowed travel for a period of 72 hours” from the effectivity of the quarantine. The total lockdown started 12 am on March 17.
But Filipinos are barred from leaving the Philippines through any of the international airports in Luzon beginning Tuesday, or as soon as the quarantine takes effect.
Asked whether overseas Filipino workers are exempted from the rule, Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Libiran said Tuesday “The instruction is no Filipinos shall be allowed to leave the country.”
Only uniformed personnel transporting medical supplies, individuals carrying lab specimens, and those on humanitarian missions are allowed to travel by air.
The Bureau of Immigration on Tuesday advised all foreigners intending to leave the country before the 72-hour deadline to settle immigration obligations in any BI field offices before leaving the country.
“Outbound passengers intending to depart the Philippines from any international airport in Luzon shall be allowed only until 12mn of March 20,Ù¾h Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
“Inbound passengers who are already in transit upon effectivity of the quarantine shall be allowed to enter, but will be referred to the Bureau of Quarantine if coming from countries with existing travel restrictions,” he said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday temporarily suspended consular services in Luzon after the declaration of an enhanced community quarantine over the entire island.
The department said the temporary suspension of operations covered the Office of Consular Affairs in Aseana, Parañaque City and all consular offices in Luzon.
In an advisory, the department also informed passport applicants with confirmed appointments and those seeking Authentication and Civil Registration services will be accommodated once operations resume.
On the other hand, the department’s consular offices in the Visayas and Mindanao will be operating with skeletal workforces and provide services only to individuals with urgent consular needs.
Catholic prelates in Metro Manila have suspended Holy Week activities set next month in response to the declaration of the government putting entire Luzon in an enhanced community quarantine to stop the spread of Covid-19.
In Pastoral Statement of the Bishops of Metro Manila issued Monday, the heads of the archdiocese, dioceses and Military Vicariate in the country have agreed to cancel the Holy Week activities such as Palm Sunday, Visita Iglesia, Siete Palabras, Good Friday procession and Easter Sunday ‘salubong’.