Fully vaccinated people should no longer be required to undergo a swab test before traveling to tourist destinations in the country, according to a Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion.
Concepcion said people who have completed their coronavirus vaccination in the country should eventually be given greater mobility, including when visiting local tourist sites.
Easing the test-before-travel requirement for vaccinated travelers would not only promote the growth of domestic tourism but also generate savings for the local tourists, he added.
The Go Negosyo founder made the proposal after lauding the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases' (IATF) decision on a shorter quarantine stay for international travelers who have been fully vaccinated in the Philippines. The relaxed protocols came as the government ramped up vaccination efforts initially in areas with high coronavirus cases.
READ: Incoming travelers vaccinated abroad to undergo 10-day quarantine
"Ang pinu-push ng private sector ay 'yung kumuha ng bakuna ang dapat mabigyan ng greater mobility (The private sector is pushing for greater mobility for vaccinated individuals)," Concepcion said over government television Saturday, June 5.
"Dapat gawin natin ito eventually sa domestic travel. Malaking bagay ito sa pagbukas ng economy. 'Yung mga taong kumuha ng bakuna, wala nang PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test sa pagbiyahe nila sa ibang tourist destinations. Malaking savings din 'yan (We should implement this eventually in domestic travel. It will be a huge boost to the reopening of the economy. Those who have been vaccinated must no longer be required to take PCR test when they travel to tourist destinations. This will result in big savings)," he said.
Under the new IATF rules, international travelers vaccinated in the country must complete a 7-day facility-based quarantine upon arrival, instead of the usual 10 days. They will only be required to take the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test if they show coronavirus symptoms during their quarantine.
Incoming travelers who were vaccinated abroad, on the other hand, must still undergo the "regular" testing and quarantine protocols, including a 10-day stay at a quarantine hotel or facility, according to the Palace.
Concepcion earlier pushed for the issuance of unified digital vaccine card or pass for people who have been inoculated in the country to facilitate safe and greater mobility. He noted that the vaccine pass, which shows proof of a person's vaccination, must have a standard format for implementation nationwide.
READ: Business leaders bat for unified digital vaccine pass system
The government's pandemic task force earlier ruled that mandatory testing may be removed except when local government units will make it as an entry requirement for travelers.