(Eagle News) — The National Task Force Against COVID-19 has suspended the entry of foreigners and returning Filipinos who are non-overseas Filipino workers into the country.
According to Memorandum Circular No. 5 s. 2021 signed by NTF chair Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the suspension, which starts on Saturday, March 20, was amid the “significant rise” in COVID-19 cases at the start of this year, which he said was likely attributed to “increased transmission due to non-compliance to minimum health public standards,” the “increased mobility of people,” the “delays in the detection and isolation of infected patients,” and the “entry of Sars-CoV2 variants of concern having increased transmissibility.”
The suspension ends on April 19.
Exempted are the following:
- Holders of 9(c) visas
- Medical repatriation and their escort/s duly endorsed by the DFA-OUMWA or OWWA
- Distressed ROFs duly endorsed by DFA-OUMWA
- Emergency, humanitarian, and other analogous cases approved by the NTF-COVID-19
The task force also ordered concerned agencies to limit the number of inbound international passengers to 1,500 a day starting Thursday, March 18, to April 18.
A statement from the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Department of Transportation said airlines that will exceed the allowed capacity will be sanctioned according to Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-01 dated January 8 issued by the Manila International Airport Authority, the Clark International Airport Corporation, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and CAB.
The development came as the Philippines battled a surge in COVID-19 cases, with the Octa research group predicting daily COVID-19 cases could hit 11,000 by the end of March if the surge remained unaddressed.
Metro Manila, which was one of the hardest-hit by the increase, imposed a common curfew of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Monday, March 15.
It also banned minors aged 17 and below from going outdoors for two weeks.
