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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte holds off decision on new travel ban due to new UK viral strain

Duterte holds off decision on new travel ban due to new UK viral strain

Published Dec 29, 2020 02:40 pm

President Duterte has yet to make a final decision on the proposed travel ban on countries with cases of the new coronavirus strain, Malacañang clarified Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque (OPS / MANILA BULLETIN)

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the President still wanted to ensure Filipinos can still go home even after the expansion of travel restrictions has been  "highly recommended" to him.

Once Duterte decides,  an executive order or administrative order on the matter is expected to released soon, Roque added.

The proposed travel restrictions were discussed in the President's recent meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF).

A travel ban on flights from the United Kingdom where the second COVID strain emerged has been initially imposed by the government until mid-January.

"Antayin natin ang desisyon ng Presidente. Magpapalabas ng something in writing ang Office of the President. Ang alam ko highly recommended ng IATF at ng DOH yung travel bans sa mga bansa na may new variants  (Let's wait for the President's decision. The Office of the President will release something in writing. I know it was highly recommended by the IATF and the DOH)," Roque said during a televised press briefing Tuesday.

"Pero sabi ng Presidente, kinakailangan na kahit sinong Pilipino na nais makauwi dapat makauwi. Imposible 'yan kung magkakaroon ng travel ban so antayin na lang po natin kung ano ang pinal na desisyon ng Presidente (But the President said any Filipino who wants to come home can come home. It will be impossible if there will be a travel ban. So let's wait for the President's final decision. A written executive order or administrative order will be issued within the day)," he said.

Roque admitted the possibility of the travel restrictions on these countries with new COVID strain cases. "If you ask me, is there now currently a travel ban? My answer is no. Will there be? Perhaps. Anong detalye? let's wait for it," he said.

He recalled that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III strongly pushed for the imposition of the travel restrictions on certain countries to prevent the entry of the new COVID strain in the Philippines during the recent IATF meeting.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones and medical experts also reportedly backed the proposal. 

"At one point, sinabi ni Presidente, 'Let me sleep on it.' Pero bago matapos nagkaroon na naman ng passionate plea si Secretary Duque na kinakailangan travel ban exempting Filipino nationals, that's where we left off sa meeting (At one point the President said 'Let me sleep on it.' But before the meeting ended, Secretary Duque made another passionate plea for the travel ban exempting Filipino nationals and that's where we left off in the meeting)," he said.

Early in the day, Duque reportedly announced the government's planned travel ban on countries that recorded cases of the new COVID variant. Filipinos returning home will supposedly be exempted from the ban but must undergo 14 days of quarantine.

Airport authorities later released a statement barring the entry of travelers from 20 countries effective midnight of December 29. The government's list includes United Kingdom, South Africa, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Israel, Hong Kong, Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Singapore, Lebanon, Japan, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Australia, France, Iceland and South Korea.

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