The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said it strengthened the border control in the country’s ports, in accordance with the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19’s crisis management plan against the Delta variant.
In a Laging Handa public briefing on Friday (Aug. 13), DOTr Undersecretary Raul del Rosario said they implemented new protocols especially for passengers coming from “restricted” countries.
“Ito na nga iyong mga nasabi kaninang mga 10 bansa na kung saan lahat ng pasaherong dumadating dito at sa katunayan ay restricted na ang flights diyan pero pinapayagan pa rin ng ating gobyerno ang pagdating ng mga OFWs galing dito specially through our repatriation flights na mina-mount ng DFA at mga special commercial flights.”
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Friday morning the approval of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) recommendation to extend the current travel restrictions in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia from Aug. 16 to Aug. 31.
READ MORE: http://152.42.253.13/travel-restrictions-to-10-countries-extended-until-august-31/
Usec. Del Rosario said the passengers must have an RT-PCR test result 48 hours prior to boarding and they must undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine where they will be swabbed on the seventh day. He added that they will be brought to a “stringent facility” where they will be regularly monitored by the Bureau of Quarantine.
In relation to this, Del Rosario explained that they ask the passengers to register for an e-registration or E1 Health Pass and electronic health declaration card to monitor their health status and travel history as well as to ensure the arrival of COVID-free passengers.
“So, pagdating dito nababantayan na natin kung sino iyong mga suspected carriers at pagdating na pagdating dumadaan ulit sila sa stringent inspection ng ating BOQ kung saan hinihiwalay ang mga may symptoms. Aside from that, kapag galing nga sa mga [various] countries, tinitingnan ang RT-PCR test result at 14 days quarantine,” he added.
Moreover, he said the number of passengers for the country’s daily arrivals reach 3,200 to 3,500.
“Kung aking maidagdag doon sa huli mong katanungan. Ito pong daily arrivals natin ay halos umaabot pa rin tayo ng 3,200 passengers daily. Mayroon tayong 2,000 arrivals sa NAIA, 600 sa Cebu at 400 sa Clark at mayroon din tayong nadagdag na entry point sa ating mga airports,” he said.
“Ang international airports of Subic, Davao and Laoag kung saan nakakatanggap tayo ng pasahero dito on 11th day cycle. So, ang kabuuan nasa mga 3,200 to 3,500 daily ang arrivals natin at sa mga seaports naman ay mayroon tayong daily arrivals of 187 seafarers daily,” he added. – rir
