The Department of Tourism (DOT) announced Friday that all fully-vaccinated inbound tourists no longer need to submit a pre-departure COVID-19 negative test upon arrival in the Philippines.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for COVID-19 response has previously approved the removal of the travel requirement, according to the DOT.
All travelers aged 18 and up, who are fully vaccinated or have gotten a booster injection, shall be excluded from the mandatory negative test proof under Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution 168.
Exemptions also apply to travelers aged 12 to 17 who have had their primary COVID-19 immunizations and children under the age of 12 traveling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians.
“We are glad that the propositions we have worked on have been approved by the IATF-EID and are now up for implementation. As we make it more convenient for tourists to visit the country, the public’s health and safety will remain the DOT’s priority,” Tourism Secretary Berna-Romulo Puyat said.
“The DOT sees this development as a win for the local tourism industry as welcoming more tourists in the country will yield more revenues for our MSMEs and restore more jobs and livelihoods in the sector,” she added.
Meanwhile, travel insurance will no longer be necessary but is strongly recommended.
Malacanang Palace noted that, following IATF Resolution 168, international passengers are no longer required to observe a facility-based quarantine but must self-monitor for seven days.
Philippines removes negative swab test requirement for inbound travelers
However, according to Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Kris Ablan, these foreign nationals must also have passports valid for at least six months at their entry into the Philippines.
Travelers on a temporary visit, on the other hand, must have valid tickets for their return travel to their port of origin or next port of destination matching their permitted/allowed length of stay under a valid visa or visa-free entry, as applicable.
Additionally, the exemption for a negative COVID-19 test did not apply to foreign spouses and/or children of Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens with balikbayan privileges under Republic Act No. 9174, including their foreign spouse and/or children who are not balikbayans in their own right and are traveling to the Philippines with them.
“Foreign nationals who fail to comply with the conditions and requisites set fully shall be denied admission into the country and shall be subject to the appropriate exclusion proceedings,” the IATF added.
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