Unvaccinated Foreigners Not Permitted to Enter Philippines? Or Must They, In Common With Any Unvaccinated Person Entering The Philippines, Undergo Facility and Then Home Based Quarantine for 14-Days?

Link to and details of IATF Resolution 168 (updated 27th May 2022) covering entry requirements related to covid-19 is provided in this discussion. Entry with quarantine compliance appears possible.

DOH OIC Vergeire advised that unvaccinated foreigners are not permitted to enter the Philippines.

She quotes IATF Resolution No. 168, and states that allowing unvaccinated foreigners entry into the Philippines is against current protocols on border entry. I wanted to explore further whether there is any way for an unvaccinated foreigner to enter the Philippines, and referred to the published resolution.

Section A of the IATF document does indeed state that Foreigners should be fully vaccinated, provide proof of that vaccination, and present a negative RT-PCR test among other standard requirements.

It also states under item 3. that foreign national who fail to comply shall be denied entry. However, those who have complied may enter and only need to self observe for signs and symptoms and are not required to undergo any quarantine.

However, this resolution also contains other sections including B. Foreign Children Traveling with Filipino Nationals, C. Fully-vaccinated Filipino Nationals, and D. Unvaccinated, Partially Unvaccinated, or Individuals Whose Vaccination Status Cannot be Independently Validated.

Section D is a stand alone section, which appears to refer to everyone, including foreigners, and sets out the requirements for unvaccinated, partially unvaccinated, or unconfirmed status travelers. It requires negative PCR testing, facility based quarantine until release of PCR, and 14 days of home based quarantine.

Which section then is applicable? Section A, alone and in it’s entirely, or Section D which allows entry but sets out quarantine requirements?

I do know of recent entry of unvaccinated foreign nationals; entering the Philippines to finally be reunited with family members, to finally marry a long-waiting partner after years of separation. They complied fully with Section D and completed the proscribed quarantine.

There are many couples, many families who have been kept apart by these measures. The IATF resolution does currently provide a route for entry for anyone who has chosen not to, or is unable to take a covid-19 vaccination! However, one must proceed with caution when guidelines are not clear!

While Covid-19 Cases are climbing, it is very reassuring that these are almost all mild, with very few deaths or serious outcomes.

Hospitals, emergency rooms, and doctors clinics here are currently full to overflowing with patients requiring treatment for and assistance with illness and health issues totally unrelated to Covid-19 infection. There may well be other population health issues than Covid-19 already requiring attention.