The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the Philippines to take additional actions to further boost recovery of the aviation and tourism sectors.
“IATA welcomes the border opening by the Philippines to fully vaccinated travellers. It is good for the aviation community, and will facilitate the recovery the aviation industry and the tourism sector,” said Philip Goh, IATA regional vice president for Asia Pacific.
In a statement, Got said the easing travel restrictions is a positive step forward, but more needs to be done to build greater confidence in air travel.
IATA said the Philippines should make permanent the standardization of measures and exemption of quarantine improving it from the current suspension.
IATA added the Philippines should also accept antigen tests for pre-departure testing and recognize digital vaccination certificates and testing certificates that are presented in digital platforms, such as the IATA Travel Pass.
“It is through greater liberalization from air travel restrictions that aviation and travel businesses, and indeed economies, can advance to full recovery from two years of extreme hardship,” Goh said.
Fully- vaccinated foreign nationals coming to the Philippines for business and tourism purposes from visa-free certain countries are no longer required to quarantine upon arrival, according to Resolution 160-B of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, provided they are former Filipino citizens with balikbayan privilege, including their foreign spouses and/or children traveling with them to the Philippines and they are not restricted nationals and are to stay for no more than 30 days under Executive Order 408, S. 1960.
Unvaccinated foreign nationals will be denied admission into the country. A foreign national is considered fully-vaccinated if he/she has received the second dose in a two-dose series, or a single dose of a recognized vaccine more than 14 days prior to the date and time of departure.
For foreign minors, unvaccinated foreign children below 12 years of age traveling with their Filipino parent, shall follow the entry, testing, and quarantine protocols of their Filipino parent traveling with them.
Foreign children from ages 12 to 17 years of age traveling with their Filipino parent, shall follow the protocols based on their vaccination status.
If the child is unvaccinated, either parent should accompany the child during their facility-based quarantine.
Philippine Airlines reminded passengers that fully-vaccinated foreign nationals will no longer be required to undergo facility-based quarantine. Instead, they shall self-monitor for any sign or symptom for seven days with the first day being the date of arrival, and shall be required to report to their local government unit upon the manifestation of symptoms, if any.
Cebu Pacific also reminded all passengers to register to One Health Pass, a requirement for the electronic Health Declaration Certificate needed to be presented upon check-in for the flight, and upon arrival in the Philippines.
