Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday warned that the Philippines will implement “hard, long and strict” quarantine requirements for those coming from India once the travel restriction is lifted to prevent the spread of the coronavirus variant which is suspected to be the cause of the unexpected rise of cases in the South Asian nation.

Locsin made this warning even as he commended the work of the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi for establishing communication lines with the Filipino community and giving them assistance.

“Great job. I must warn you, even if flights are resumed; the quarantine requirements for them will be especially hard, long and strict. We can’t afford to get the variant,” the foreign secretary said in a tweet.

Philippine Ambassador to India Ramon Bagatsing Jr. earlier said the Filipino community in India put up a chat group, a sort of COVID support group, where the Embassy can address their needs in terms of medicines and food.

“So we have satellite groups of Filipino communities where they send text messages and chat on the situation of Filipinos in certain areas. Filipinos in those areas are helping each other and the embassy provides as much support as we can on our own,” Bagatsing said during the virtual Malacañang press briefing on Monday, May 3.

He confirmed that there are 73 Filipinos who have tested positive for COVID-19 with mild to moderate symptoms, while two others died of coronavirus infections.

To date, the Filipino diplomat said about 60 to 70 Filipinos have already expressed their intent to be repatriated back to the Philippines although a ‘de facto’ travel ban is currently in effect for travelers from India due to the severe rise of COVID-19 cases in the South Asian country.

Bagatsing said repatriation of Filipinos may have to wait until the condition improves, noting that travel restrictions for passengers coming from India are currently in effect in many countries, even for transiting travelers.