No swab upon arrival

CEBU, Philippines — All fully-vaccinated international travelers arriving at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport would no longer be required to undergo swab testing upon arrival and mandatory facility-based quarantine beginning February 1.

For a long time, all international arriving passengers had been subjected to a swab test in addition to the required negative result before departure.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in her memorandum no. 6-2022 addressed to the Bureau of Quarantine, MCIAA, airline operators and all other concerned parties, adopted the implementation of IATF Resolution No. 159 here.

As such, all fully vaccinated persons arriving in Cebu shall be allowed entry provided they are able to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.

However, the unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or those whose vaccination status cannot be independently verified have to be swabbed upon arrival even with the negative RT-PCR test result taken before departure.

Along with this, after the swab test, the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated are to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of their second RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day.

“Airline operators are enjoined to require international passengers traveling to Cebu to present proof of their vaccination at their place of origin upon check-in. Absence of said proof shall classify the traveler as unvaccinated or partially (un)vaccinated,” said Garcia in her memo.

Earlier, the IATF decided to suspend the COVID-19 risk classifications for countries and territories beginning February 1,2022, and made some ease of travel for full-vaccinated travelers.

The resolution indicated that upon arrival, they shall no longer be required to observe mandatory facility-based quarantine but shall self-monitor for any sign or symptom for (7) days with the first day being the date of arrival.

They are also required to report to the local government unit of destination upon the manifestation of symptoms if any.

International arriving passengers must have the following proof of vaccination against COVID-19 recognized under existing IATF regulations:

The unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated, on the other hand, will have to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within forty-eight hours (48hrs) prior to departure from the country of origin and will be required to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth (5th) day.

After the facility quarantine, they are to undergo home quarantine until their fourteenth (14th) day, with the date of arrival being the first day.

The local government units of destination and their respective Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams are tasked to monitor those arriving passengers undergoing home quarantine.

Children below twelve (12) years of age who cannot be vaccinated shall follow the quarantine protocols of the parent/s or the accompanying adult/guardian traveling with them.

Those who are currently undergoing quarantine until February 2022 may avail of the aforementioned testing and quarantine protocols.

Tourism

Menawhile, former Department of Tourism secretary Ace Durano said the latest move by DOT to allow visa-free entry for fully vaccinated individuals can help jump-start the local tourism industry that is still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and of Typhoon Odette.

DOT secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat announced on Jan. 28, 2022 that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Diseases (IATF-EID) allowed its proposal to grant visa free entries to tourists coming from 157 countries, including Japan, Republic of Korea, the US, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia—which is Cebu’s top tourists markets.

“The move of the DOT is a very big help for our local tourism industry and we urge all stakeholders to start winning back the tourists to our shores. Almost two years na since nawala ang mga tourists nato tungod sa pandemya, mao ni ang panahon nga ma-enganyo nato sila nga mubalik sa Cebu,” said Durano, who served as secretary of DOT from 2004 to 2010.

Durano said that with the expected entry of foreign tourists, he is urging the Cebu Provincial government to conduct community-based educational campaigns to increase the vaccination rate in the province and to improve the capabilities of the provincial hospitals.

“Now that we’re expecting the return of our foreign tourists as we open up the borders, we have to be prepared for a possible surge that’s why more people have to be vaccinated & provincial hospitals should be improved. Increased vaccination and the improvement of provincial hospitals protects the health of the Cebuanos and the tourists too,” said Durano in a press statement yesterday.

Durano also said that since tourism has a trickle-down effect on the economy, the return of tourists will also benefit the other players of the industry—restaurant owners, fishermen, farmers, souvenir makers, transport-providers and local guides.

“Gihatagan ta ug lifeline sa DOT, hinaut dili ni nato sayangan ug mulihok ang Capitol para masiguro nga ang mga fully-vaccinated tourists ma-encourage mubalik sa Cebu kay maka-siguro sila nga adunay sila’y access sa sakto nga health facilities,” Durano further said. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, JMD (FREEMAN)