The travel restrictions being imposed on passengers coming from 10 countries that began as a precautionary measure against the Delta variant of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been extended up to Sept. 5, 2021.
In a statement sent to reporters on Tuesday night, Aug. 31, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque bared that President Duterte had approved the IATF's recommendation to extend the current travel restrictions on India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The IATF stands for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Under the travel ban, which will be extended starting tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 1, up to Sunday, Sept. 5, arriving passengers from said countries or with a travel history to those places within the last 14 days will be barred from entering the Philippines.
They would then be sent back to their port of origin on the next available flight.
"These travel restrictions form part of the pro-active measures to slow down the rising number of COVID-19 cases, stop further spread of variants, and increase the country's existing healthcare capacity," Roque said.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is expected to enforce the directive.
The Delta variant is said to be more transmissible than the original new coronavirus.