By Alec Go
Foreign spouses and children of Filipinos and former Filipino citizens with balikbayan privilege traveling with them to the Philippines are no longer required to possess valid tickets for their return journey not later than 30 days from arrival date.
The exemption, which was announced on Thursday (Feb. 10), covers “foreign spouses and/or children of Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens with balikbayan privilege under Republic Act No. 9174, including their foreign spouse and/or children” who are “not balikbayans in their own right and are traveling with them to the Philippines.”
“Ang bottomline natin ay tatanggap na tayo ng mga foreign nationals coming for tourism and business,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said at the Laging Handa briefing.
The official said they are confident that the new measures, included under Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Resolution No.160-D, will support the recovery of the tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Makakatulong ito nang malaki sa mga lubos na naapektuhan sa sektor na ‘yan, lalong-lalo na ang ating mga workers, employees,” he said.
“If everybody complies with the minimum public health and safety protocols natin, maging ang mga turista, mga foreign nationals, handa tayong mag-comply, ma-a-assure natin na hindi ito magiging sanhi ng spike or surge,” he added.
The government also allowed foreign nationals from 157 visa-free countries under Executive Order No. 408 “who intend to stay beyond 30 days for purposes other than tourism or leisure” to enter the Philippines through an entry exemption document.
Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens from visa-required countries “whether or not traveling” with Filipino citizens and are restricted may also “enter the country without need of an entry exemption document, provided they have been issued a 9(a) visa with the appropriate visa notation.”
Nograles reiterated that the entry of foreign nationals remain subject to vaccination status except for children below 12 years of age, and the compliance to the required negative RT-PCR test result taken within 48 hours prior to departure.
