BI implements lifting of travel ban to Taiwan

February 16, 2020

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has implemented the lifting of the travel ban to Taiwan.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente announced that he has instructed all port personnel to allow the entry of foreign nationals with travels from Taiwan, as well as Filipinos bound for said country.

"We have received an order from the Office of the President yesterday afternoon lifting the travel restrictions," said Morente.

"This follows the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Disease (IATF), which we are bound to implement immediately. Hence, travel may now be made by any foreign national to Taiwan from the Philippines and vice versa," he stated.

Also included in the lifting are members of the diplomatic corps, regardless of nationality.

The announcement came after Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo released a statement regarding the lifting of the travel ban.

"This is a welcome development," said Morente. He added that the BI is ready to implement any policy change, as ordered by the President following recommendations from the IATF.

Currently, the Philippines is implementing a travel ban to foreign nationals coming from China and its Special Administrative Regions which are Hong Kong and Macau. Only Filipinos and permanent resident visa holders are allowed to enter the country from said areas.

Filipinos, on the other hand, are temporarily barred from traveling to said countries.

"We believe there are studies being done by the IATF to possibly lift the travel ban in other jurisdictions. We are on standby, ready to implement any policy change as deemed appropriate by the IATF," said Morente. DMS