BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the national task force on the nCorona virus’s recommendations including travel and entry bans and quarantines to “contain and neutralise the spread of the virus.”
Presidential Spokesman and Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, in a statement, said the travel bans include:
Temporary bans on
- entry of any person, regardless of nationality, except Filipino citizens and holders of Permanent Resident Visa issued by the Philippine Government, directly coming from China and its Special Administrative Regions;
- entry of any person, regardless of nationality, except Filipino citizens and holders of Permanent Resident Visa issued by the Philippine Government, who within fourteen (14) days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, has been to China and its Special Administrative Regions;
- travel by Filipinos to China and its Special Administrative Regions; and
The President also approved a mandatory 14-day quarantine for Filipinos and Permanent Resident Visa holders coming from any place in China and its Special Administrative Regions.
Duterte also approved the establishment of a repatriation and quarantine facility.
He is expected to preside today over the meeting of the Task Force that will be attended by other concerned agencies.
The order also directed all government units to “coordinate and implement the… guidelines, and such other guidelines which the Task Force may subsequently issue on the matter, consistent with the respective agency mandates and relevant laws, rules and regulations, until the threat is over.”
