The National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, released a memorandum circular, which temporarily suspends travel into the Philippines of foreigners and returning overseas Filipinos who are considered as non-overseas Filipino workers beginning Saturday, March 20, 2021, 12:01AM until April 19, 2021. This is in view of the rising COVID-19 cases and the entry of the coronavirus variants in the country.
The NTF, however, provided exemptions. These include: holders of 9 (e) visas; medical repatriation and their escorts duly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration; distressed returning overseas Filipinos duly endorsed by the DFA-OUMWA; and emergency, humanitarian, and other cases as approved by the NTF.
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.
