Beginning March 22, Sunday, all foreigners will be prohibited from entering the Philippines as a measure against the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
“There will be a temporary travel ban on foreigners entering the country starting 12 a.m., 22 March 2020, the Transportation Department said in a statement.
Only returning Filipino workers, repatriated Filipinos, their foreign spouses and children (who must be traveling with the Filipino national), foreign government officials and representatives of international organizations accredited by the Philippines will be allowed to enter the country.
Filipino workers, balikbayan and foreign nationals may leave for abroad through any of the ports in Luzon during the enhanced community quarantine.
Travelers must present proof of their international travel itinerary. Filipino tourists will not be allowed to leave during the lockdown.
Land, air and sea travel of uniformed personnel for official business, especially those transporting medical supplies, laboratory specimens related to the COVID-19, and other humanitarian assistance, will be allowed.
READ: Air travel ban starts Mar. 20; POGO closed
The department said all previously issued visas will be canceled and foreigners possessing visas issued by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts, primarily temporary visitor/tourist visas, will be denied entry to the Philippines starting March 22.
In Malacañang, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases guided the Department of Foreign Affairs in its decision.
Only one person is allowed to bring or fetch a passenger to and from the airport and must depart immediately after picking up or dropping off the traveler, the Transportation Department said.
The driver should carry a copy of the airline ticket of the passenger as proof of conveyance.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente announced that the bureau will temporarily suspend several transactions at BI offices in Luzon, except for outbound passengers intending to depart the Philippines, following the memorandum on the enhanced community quarantine and stringent social distancing measures from Malacanang.
Transactions include tourist visa extension for foreign nationals stranded in the country during the enhanced community quarantine period.
“We are temporarily suspending several transactions in Luzon and are downgrading our workforce to the barest minimum to ensure compliance to stringent social distancing measures,” said Morente.
“This would likewise allow foreign nationals who are unable to go out of their residences to file their applications at a later time due to the quarantine,” he added.
Other transactions suspended are as follows: Filing and hearing of applications for extension or conversion to non-immigrant or immigrant visa, dual citizenship, downgrading of visa status, special work permit or provisional work permit, renewal of ACR I-Cards, and implementation of approved visa applications for extension or conversion.
Morente said all aliens whose visas that expire during the enhanced community quarantine period will be allowed to file their applications for extension without penalties, provided they file these within 30 days of the lifting of the quarantine.
“These are special times, hence we had to adjust our procedures to ease the burden of those affected,” he added.
The government has granted exemptions to some airport and airlines personnel in the established quarantine control points to ensure the facilitation and safe passage of personnel in various airports and aviation facilities in the country.
These include pilots, flight crew, and airline ground personnel. This personnel, however, will be subject to existing protocol on monitoring and inspection of health.
Meanwhile, flag carrier Philippines Airlines announced it is operating limited international services to and from Manila beginning Friday (March 20) in response to the government’s call to help foreign tourists return home and OFWs fly back to their places of work.
From March 20-31, PAL will operate flights to and from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Heathrow, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Narita, Haneda, Nagoya, Osaka Kansai, Guam, and Fukuoka.
Also in the same period, PAL will temporarily suspend services between Manila and Auckland, Port Moresby, Brisbane, Melbourne, Taipei, Jakarta, Bali, Sapporo, Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dubai.
Flights to and from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Korea, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia remain suspended.
READ: Clark offers free board, lodging to stranded OFWs