The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Thursday (Oct. 14) released an updated list of Red, Green, and Yellow countries/jurisdictions/territories effective from Oct. 16-31, 2021.
Romania is classified under the Red List.
Included in the Green List are Algeria, American Samoa, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), Kiribati, Madagascar, Mali, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, and Yemen.
All other countries/jurisdictions/territories not otherwise mentioned are classified as Yellow List.
In addition, the IATF streamlined and codified testing and quarantine protocols for international passengers entering the Philippines.
Green List quarantine and testing protocols
The testing and quarantine protocols for Green List are as follows:
First, for fully vaccinated foreign nationals, a negative RT-PCR test shall be required to be taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin. Upon arrival, no facility-based quarantine will be further required but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day.
Second, for fully vaccinated overseas Filipino workers or non-overseas Filipino workers, they can choose facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken in the quarantine facility upon arrival, or no facility-based quarantine after getting a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day.
Third, for unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently verified, and those vaccinated but failed to comply with the test-before-travel requirements, they shall undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day. In the case of foreign nationals, they shall be required to secure hotel reservations for at least six days.
In the case of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated minor children traveling with their fully vaccinated parent/s or guardians, they shall be required to observe the quarantine protocols corresponding to their vaccination status. A parent/guardian shall accompany the child in the quarantine facility for the full term of the latter’s facility-based quarantine period.
Yellow List quarantine and testing protocols
On the other hand, the testing and quarantine protocols for the Yellow List are as follows:
First, for fully vaccinated individuals, they need to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day. After which, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until their 10th day. Foreign nationals shall be required to secure their pre-booked accommodation of at least six days.
Second, for unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently verified by Philippine authorities as valid and authentic coming from the Yellow List, they shall undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the seventh day.
After which, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until their 14th day. Foreign nationals shall be required to secure their pre-booked accommodation of at least eight days.
Red List quarantine and testing protocols
Meanwhile, inbound international travel of all persons, regardless of vaccination status, coming from or who have been to Red List countries within the last 14 days prior to arrival to the Philippines shall not be allowed.
Only Filipinos returning to the country via government-initiated repatriation, non-government-initiated repatriation, and Bayanihan Flights may be allowed entry, subject to testing and quarantine protocols.
First, all arriving passengers shall undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. The first 10 days shall be observed in a quarantine facility, with the remainder to be completed under home quarantine in their respective local government units of destination.
Second, RT-PCR testing shall be conducted on the seventh day. Notwithstanding a negative test result, the arriving passenger shall complete the facility-based quarantine period of 10 days.
Third, the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility quarantine for 10 days.
Fourth, all passengers merely transiting through a Red List country shall not be deemed as having come from or having been to said country/jurisdiction/territory if they stayed in the airport the whole time and were not cleared for entry by its immigration authorities.
Fifth, upon arrival in the Philippines, passengers covered by the preceding paragraph shall comply with the existing and testing protocols.
Validation of vaccination status
To validate their vaccination status, overseas Filipino workers and their spouse, parent/s, and / or children traveling in the Philippines or abroad, non-OFWs vaccinated in the country or abroad, and foreigners vaccinated in the Philippines can present either their VaxCertPH digital vaccination certificate, BOQ/World Health Organization (WHO)-issued International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICV), or the national/state digital certificate of the foreign government where they were vaccinated, which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal agreement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF.
In the case of foreigners vaccinated abroad, they can present a WHO-issued ICV, or the national/state digital certificate of the foreign government which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal agreement unless otherwise permitted by the IATF.
Also approved in the IATF’s 144th meeting is the Commission on Elections’s request to conduct voting simulation exercises on Oct. 23 in San Juan City, and the Intramuros Administration’s request to implement programs in Fort Santiago and the Baluarte San Diego for fully vaccinated senior citizens aged 65 and above, subject to conditions. (OPS) – jlo
