The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing to open the country to foreign tourists from non-visa countries on the “green list.”
This is to revitalize the tourism industry, which has been severely affected by the restrictions on re-filing COVID-19 cases in the country.
“Dapat magbubukas na tayo noong December 1 from visa-free countries galing sa green list… tapos nagkaroon ng omicron [variant] so na-temporarily suspend,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
“So hihingin namin ulit na baka puwedeng magbukas ulit,” said Puyat, who wanted the opening to begin in February.
According to DOT data, from the 12.80 percent contribution of tourism to the gross domestic product in 2019, it will fall to 5.40 percent in 2020.
More than 1 million tourism workers will lose their jobs in 2020.
“Unlike before na hindi tayo vaccinated eh fully vaccinated na tayo with booster,” the secretary said.
The DOT’s proposal is yet to be approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Receiving foreign tourists from green list countries pushed
Some tourism workers such as Timothy Tocop and Lowell Gacilo welcomed the DOT’s proposal.
“Okay lang po sa akin, lalo na din po doon sa mga bumababa na rin po na case from other countries, para naman ma-boost, tumaas ‘yong economy,” said Tocop, a worker in Boracay.
“There is reservation for health reason. Baka mag-surge ‘yong COVID, but kailangan natin gawin. Otherwise, 2 years na kaming ganito,” said Gacilo.
As of this month, the countries included in the green list are Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, China (Mainland), Cote d’ Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, The Gambia, Guinea, Hong Kong (Chinese Special Administrative Region), Indonesia, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Montserrat, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Saint Barthelemy, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Taiwan, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Uganda and United Arab Emirates.
“Only Filipinos, balikbayan, and foreign nationals with long-term visas coming from green and yellow list countries may be allowed entry to the Philippines,” said BI chief Morente. “Following the latest resolution, tourists are still not allowed to enter the country,” he clarified.
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