NTF modifies travel restrictions, allows all Filipinos to return

THE National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 has modified the travel restrictions that it issued earlier, allowing all Filipino citizens entry into the country although subject to the quota on international arrivals.

Based on Memorandum Circular No. 6 series of 2021 issued on March 18, 2021, this revised protocol will be enforced from 12:01 a.m. of March 22 until 11:59 p.m. of April 21, 2021.

Inbound foreigners are still temporarily barred, except the following:

• Diplomats and members of international organizations and their dependents who hold a 9(c) or 47(a)(2) visa at the time of entry;
• Foreign nationals involved in medical repatriation;
• Foreign seafarers under the "Green Lanes" program for crew change;
• Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens with valid visas; and
• Emergency, humanitarian and other analogous cases approved by the NTF chairperson.

The NTF said the exemption "shall be subject to the arrival quota set by the Department of Transportation" which is 1,500 arrivals daily.

Both Filipinos and foreigners will be subject to the arrival quota of only 1,500 international arrivals per day, as set by the Department of Transportation.

This new NTF directive repealed MC No. 5, series of 2021 that was issued earlier.

These restrictions are being imposed in light of the surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases and the detection of three Sars-CoV-2 variants in the country.

Each day over the past week, at least 4,000 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded by the Department of Health.

As of Thursday, March 18, there had been a total of 640,984 Covid cases in the country, including 66,567 active cases. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / VoxPop Philippines)