COVID-19: Philippines Travel Updates

Updated 29th November 2021.

See here for Southeast Asia Travel COVID-19 overview.

Related: Pack The Perfect Pandemic Travel Essentials.

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LATEST PHILIPPINES COVID-19 NEWS:

• 29th November 2021 – The Philippines has backtracked on its decision to reopen to vaccianted travellers on the green list from 1st Dcember 2021. Source.
• 28th November 2021 – The Philippines has imposed travel bans on 14 countries where the Omicron variant has been reported. Source.
• 19th November 2021 – The Philippines has announced it will reopen for fully-vaccinated international tourists ‘soon’. Source.
• 12th November 2021 – Boracay has decided it will waive the PCR test requirement for vaccinated tourists. Source.
• 29th October 2021 – VaxCertPH is now accepting vaccination certificate requests for domestic use. Source.
• 24th October 2021 – Boracay and Bohol are now accepting fully vaccinated tourists. These travellers will no longer need to present a negative test for COVID-19. Source.
• 15th October 2021 – Fully vaccinated travellers from green list countries will not need to quarantine at a facility if they test negative on a RT-PCR test within 72 hours of their departure. Source.
• 4th October 2021 – Alert Level System has been extended in the National Capital Region until October 15th 2021. Source.
• 17th September 2021 – Travel ban on four new countries added to red-list, Greneda, Papua New Guinea, Serbia and Slovenia. Source.
• 14th September 2021 – City-wide lockdown in Manila to be relaxed and new localised lockdown system introduced from 16th September. Source.
• 10th September 2021 – Travel ban introduced on 9 red-list countries including Israel, Montenegro and Switzerland. Source.
• 6th September 2021 – Travel ban lifted on 10 countries, including Sri Lanka, UAE and India. Source.
• 6th September 2021 – New traffic light system introduced to replace blanket ban on all travel. Source.
• 13th August 2021 – The Philippines extends the ban on travellers from Indonesia, Malasyia, Thailand, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the UAE and Oman. Source.
• 6th August 2021 – Manila enters its third lockdown as citizens are asked to stay at home except to go the hopsital or to get essential supplies. Movement between provinces is prohibited. Source.
• 2nd August 2021 – Nighttime curfew extended in Manila, now in place from 8pm to 4am. Source.
• 16th July 2021 – Philippines tighten curbs as first case of locally transmitted Delta variant is found. Source.
• 30th June 2021 – Starting 1st July, quarantine is shortened from 14 to 7 days for travellers who can prove they are fully vaccinated. Travellers must have spent 14 days in a low risk ‘green country’ before flying. Source.
• 22nd June 2021 – President Duterte threatens prison for anyone not willing to have COVID-19 vaccine. Source.

Disclaimer: COVID-19 travel restrictions are changing daily. The following information reflects South East Asia Backpacker’s current understanding of the rules. We work hard to update this information as often and accurately as possible. However, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. We strongly advise you to contact the embassy of the country you are visiting for the latest information.

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Can you travel to the Philippines right now? SUMMARY:

The Philippines is officially closed to tourists until further notice. From 1st May 2021, the Philippines will only allow the following citizens to enter the country: Filipino nationals, parents, children, spouses of Filipino nationals and government officials or those with a residency or retiree permit or valid work visa. See below the official public advisory from the Philippines Embassy in the US dated 14th June 2021.

Before you enter the Philippines, you will need:

• A valid visa.
• A negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of your departure to the Philippines.
• At immigration counters in the Philippines, you must present your receipt for your pre-booked quarantine accommodation which must have been accredited by the Philippines Department of Tourism.

Since November 2020, some airports have required passengers to download the ‘Traze Contact Tracing’ app. See this Facebook page for more information. You can download the app on Google Play.

Quarantine Period: 

Anyone travelling from a red list country must undergo 14 days of quarantine. 10 of those must be in a specified government facility, and the following four can be in your own residence. On the sixth day of your quarantine, you must provide a negative COVID-19 test. You will be expected to pay all costs of the quarantine stay and tests. Quarantine hotels average around $80 US per night.

Fully vaccinated travellers coming from yellow list countries will need to quarantine at a facility until they receive a negative RT-PCR test result taken on day 5. They can then finish their quarantine at home until day 10.

Partially or unvaccinated travellers from yellow risk countries will undergo quarantine in a hotel until receiving a negative RT-PCR test result on day 7. After this, they can move to home quarantine for another week.

Fully vaccinated travellers from green list countries no longer need to quarantine if they can present a negative RT-PCR test taken no earlier than 72 hours of their departure to the Philippines.

See our list of the best budget quarantine hotels in Manila here.

Face Masks: 

Face coverings are mandatory in all indoor public places and on all public transport, including trains, buses, jeepneys, taxis and boats. You should check with your airline which face coverings are accepted on board.

Read more about the best face masks for travel here.

COVID-19 Tests Required: 

You will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result before departure to the Philippines and be able to show this at the airport counter. You must also be able to provide a negative COVID-19 test result on the 9th day of your quarantine.

Internal Travel Restrictions in the Philippines: 

There are three different levels of community restrictions in the country depending on the number of COVID-19 cases. The levels from highest to lowest are:

• Enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) – Essentially total lockdown where citizens are advised to stay at home except for emergencies. Travel to other barangays or cities is prohibited. Schools and non-essential businesses are closed and limits on transportation are in place. Gatherings are banned. No domestic or international flights are allowed.
• Modified enhanced quarantine (MECQ) – People are advised to stay at home but can leave to obtain essential goods. Gatherings are restricted to 5 people. Public transport is limited. Air travel is controlled (returning Filipinos,). Schools are still closed. Approved businesses can operate with skeleton staff, others must work from home. Indoor restaurants can operate at 10% capacity, hairdressers and beauty parlours at 30%.
• General community quarantine (GCQ) – The vulnerable and elderly must stay at home. Gatherings are restricted to 10 people. Public transport is allowed with social distancing. Travel between other GCQ regions is allowed, with safety protocols.

Read about the different types of quarantine in the Philippines here.

If you are travelling in the Philippines, you should keep a close eye on the quarantine restrictions in your local barangay.

Curfews: 

Manila has a nightly curfew from midnight to 4 am starting 15th June 2021. Source. Different curfews are in place across the country depending on the level of quarantine.

Hotels and guesthouses: 

Hotels and guesthouses in the Philippines are open though operating in many areas with skeleton staff depending on the level of quarantine restrictions. Contact the relevant Philippine Tourism Department Office for advice on local accommodation options.

Public places: 

Restrictions differ depending on the city/barangay. See above. Face masks must be worn at all times in indoor public areas.

Resources: 

• US Embassy in the Philippines.
• Philippines Government Inter Agency Task Force Quarantine Guidelines.
• Facebook Group: Philippines Visas and Immigration for Foreigners in the Philippines.
• The Humanitarian Data Exchange