DOT: Entry of Fully Vaxxed Tourists from Green List Countries Approved; Formal Guidelines to Follow
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat officially announced today the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to allow fully vaccinated tourists from Green list countries to visit the country.
According to Puyat, the IATF-EID has approved in principle the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from Green List countries/territories/jurisdictions following the guidelines as may be finalized and approved by the IATF-EID.
The date when entry will be possible is yet to be determined.
Also read: Malacañang: Use of face shields not required in Alert Level 1-3 areas
DOT Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat/IMAGE from the DOT
In the shared Twitter post of Philippine News Agency (PNA), the tourism secretary confirmed that the formal guidelines will be released by the end of this month.
They also noted that the Special Technical Working Group on Travel has been tasked to promptly come up with said guidelines for final approval of the IATF.
Based on the IATF Resolution No. 148-A, there are 45 countries under the Green list and two under the Red list.
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IMAGE from the IATF Resolution No. 148-A
DOT also highlighted that only fully vaccinated individuals with vaccines recognized by the country’s Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or those authorized by the World Health Organization will be allowed entry to the country.
“Allowing tourists from green countries or territories that have the majority of its population vaccinated and with low infection rate, will greatly help in our recovery efforts–increasing tourist arrivals and receipts among others. This move will likewise aid in bolstering consumer confidence, which is a large contributor to our gross domestic product or GDP growth,” Puyat said.
Puyat noted that this is a welcome development as other countries have already reopened their borders to international leisure travelers.
“Our ASEAN neighbors like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia also did the same. We believe that it is also time for us to reopen our borders for inbound tourism as a way towards full recovery,” she added.
Moreover, the DOT is also planning to have “Vaccinated Travel Lanes or Bubbles” as a special program for vaccinated tourists coming from yellow list countries, who may be able to enter the country under certain restrictions and strict conditions.
Also read: Boracay Lifts Mandatory Swabs Tests for Fully Vaxxed Travelers, More PH Tourist Destinations Follow
Written by Cedie Salido
Source: Department of Tourism, Philippine News Agency, Official Gazette
