The government's pandemic task force has recommended to keep the country's borders closed to incoming travelers from India and six other countries until mid-June.
According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the extension of the travel restrictions has been recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases as a precaution against the coronavirus spread.
The government, however, has yet to make a final decision on keeping the tight border restrictions to travelers from the concerned countries.
"Wala pa pong lumalabas na memorandum galing po sa tanggapan ng Presidente tungkol sa continuation noong travel ban bagama’t mayroon pong rekomendasyon ang IATF to extend iyong existing travel bans until June 15 (There is no memorandum yet from the Office of the President on the continuation of the travel ban although there is a recommendation from the IATF to extend the existing travel bans until June 15)," Roque said during a televised press briefing Monday, May 31.
"Pero uulitin ko po, wala pa pong desisyon ang ating Presidente tungkol dito (But I repeat the President has no decision on the matter yet)," he said.
The Philippines has imposed travel restrictions on India and several countries until the end of May to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus strain first detected in South Asian nation.
The entry ban on travelers from India was first imposed by the government from April 29 to May 14. The government later added Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to the travel ban list from May 7 to May 14. The travel restrictions were later extended until the end of the month.
The government also decided to temporarily restrict the entry of travelers coming from Oman and the United Arab Emirates from May 15 to May 31.
An exception has been given if passengers are part of the government's repatriation efforts.