Expansion of travel ban ”highly recommended”, guidelines being drafted, says Palace

December 29, 2020

Malacanang said on Tuesday that the expansion of the travel ban, which would include territories with reported new coronavirus strain, was "highly recommended" to President Rodrigo Duterte.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after some other agencies, such as the  Manila International Airport Authority announced the supposed travel restrictions in some countries, including Japan, effective midnight of Dec. 29, 2020.

"The travel ban as of now is in UK. But there will be in the future for the countries  that have variant strain, it has been highly recommended and a decision is forthcoming," he said in a televised press briefing.

He said during the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Monday night, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made the "impassioned plea" for the President to expand the travel ban.

"And what I understand now is, the Office of the Executive Secretary is drafting guidelines that would conform to what the President said that no Filipino who wants to go home will be prevented from coming," he said.

"So, if you are asking if there is a directive from the BID (Bureau of Immigration), there is none as of the moment. We're waiting for the guidelines which could be issued as early as today," Roque added.

With the announcements from various agencies, Roque said his office was the only one authorized to issue any information relating to COVID-19.

He appealed to other agencies to honor the executive order regarding the central release of information "to avoid confusion."

"The Office of the President is preparing (an issuance), let's wait for the official announcement (on the expanded travel ban)," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS