Immigration strictly enforces ban of travelers from Southern Africa countries

DAVAO CITY- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) guaranteed it will implement the recent directive from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) to ban travelers coming from South Africa, Botswana, and other countries to prevent the entry of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente in an advisory said those coming from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique are temporarily barred from entering the Philippines beginning today (November 28).

Those with a travel history from these countries within the last 14 days will likewise be disallowed entry, he said.

Morente’s announcement follows the approval of the IATF-MEID on the suspension of inbound international flights from said countries with local cases or with likelihood of occurrences of the Omicron variant.

Morente, meanwhile clarified that the ban on Faroe Islands and the Netherlands remain in place until December 15, after which the IATF will decide whether to extend or lift it. (By Ruth Palo)