MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has issued a temporary ban on the entry of travelers from India or those with travel history to India within the 14 days preceding arrival will be prohibited from entering the Philippines “beginning 0001H of April 29, 2021, until May 14, 2021,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
The restriction also covers Filipinos.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Locsin, in a tweet, has earlier advised the IATF to suspend travel from India to the Philippines due to the increasing cases in the country of origin.
In a report from Philippine Ambassador to India Ramon Bagatsing Jr., he said that 2 Filipinos have died due to covid-19 this week while 20 others are currently infected by respiratory disease.
“I have suggested to the IATF that a travel ban be imposed on all our good friends in the entire Indian subcontinent,” said Locsin.
“It’s not personal; it’s for everyone’s safety for now; we’ll be able to be together again and we can recall the time when we had to be apart to live,” he added.
The Department of Transportation should ensure that airlines do not allow the boarding of passengers covered by travel restriction, “except if they are part of the repatriation efforts of the national government,” Roque said.
India is now the epicentre of the global pandemic, with infections rising by 352,991 in the last 24 hours and crowded hospitals running out of oxygen supplies and beds.
Reporting By: Ghelo Javier
Source: ABS-CBN News