NTF: No foreigners, non-OFW Filipinos into the Philippines from March 20 to April 19

MANILA, Philippines (Corrected 1 p.m., March 17)— The National Task Force Against COVID-19 is restricting travel into the Philippines from March 20 to April 19 in response to rising COVID-19 cases in recent days.

According to a memorandum circular signed by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the country will suspend the entry of foreigners and "Returning Overseas Filipinos who are non-OFWs" except for the following:

• Holders of 9(C) visas (seafarers)
• Medical repatriation and their escorts endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
• Distressed ROFs endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs
• Emergency and humanitarian cases

The NTF memo cites the 5,404 new COVID-19 cases recorded on Monday and Department of Health data showing cases of the B.1.1.7 variant—18 out of 59—and the B1.351 variant—1 of 32 cases—among ROFs.

One case of the P.1 variant has also been confirmed in an ROF from Brazil, the memo said.

Philippines bans foreigners and overseas Filipinos who are not migrant workers from entering from March 20 to April 19 to “prevent entry” of COVID-19 variants.

The 1,500 daily passenger limit on carriers coming from abroad was likewise expanded from just NAIA to all airports. pic.twitter.com/jH8iY6rG3j

— Prinz Magtulis ??? (@prinzmagtulis) March 16, 2021

Aside from the temporary suspension of entry, the memo also limits the number of inbound international passengers to 1,500 a day.  

The Civil Aeronautics Board announced the cap on arrivals earlier Tuesday, saying only arrivals into the Ninoy Aquino International Airport would be limited to 1,500 a day. passengers 

The cap was initially supposed to run from March 18 to April 18. "Airlines operating in NAIA that will exceed the allowed capacity will be meted with the appropriate penalty," CAB said.

(Editor's note: This article has been corrected to reflect that the P.1 variant was first detected in Brazil and not the Philippines as earlier reported. The variant first detected in the Philippines is P.3. We regret the error.)