Distressed OFWs, diplomats among those exempted from travel restrictions — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — People who need medical repatriation, diplomats and distressed Filipinos are exempted from the pandemic-related temporary travel restriction to be implemented starting this weekend, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said a National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) memorandum circular released Tuesday suspended travel to the Philippines of foreigners and returning overseas Filipinos who are not workers beginning March 20 until April 19. The restriction is a response to the rising COVID-19 infections and the entry of new and more infectious virus variants in the country.

Roque said the NTF circular exempted holders of 9 (e) visas or officials of foreign governments or diplomats and people who require medical repatriation and their escorts who are duly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Also exempted are emergency, humanitarian, and other cases as approved by the NTF and distressed returning overseas Filipinos duly endorsed by the foreign affairs department.

"Concerned agencies of the government are thus directed to limit the number of inbound international passengers, or those arriving in the Philippines, to only 1,500 a day," Roque said.

"We have to do this decisive action to prevent the spread of the virus, including its variants," he added.

The health department has confirmed the detection of cases of COVID-19 variants from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil in the Philippines. Officials have tied the recent surge in COVID-19 infections to the emergence of the more transmissible variants, the easing of mobility restrictions, and less compliance with health and safety measures.

The Philippines has logged about 631,000 COVID-19 cases with more than 12,000 deaths.