Filipino tourists will be allowed anew to travel to South Korea except for certain places hit by the new coronavirus, Malacañang announced Tuesday.
As the government partially lifted the travel ban to South Korea, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Filipinos traveling to South Korea must sign a written declaration about the health risks of their trip abroad.
The decision was reached by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) during a meeting at the Department of Health office Tuesday.
“The IATF has approved to allow Filipinos to travel to South Korea except to the whole of North Gyeongsang Province, including Daegu City and Cheongdo County, where the virus outbreak is concentrated,” Panelo said in a statement Tuesday.
“All Filipinos who intend to visit other parts of South Korea shall execute and sign a declaration, signifying their knowledge and understanding of the risks involved in their trip. A health advisory pamphlet shall likewise be handed out to them upon their departure,” he added.
The government, however, will continue to prohibit foreigners from North Gyeongsang from entering the country as a precaution against the coronavirus.
“The ban on the entry of foreign nationals arriving from North Gyeongsang Province, including Daegu City and Cheongdo County, into Philippine territory remains effective,” Panelo said.
Also, the government has decided not to issue any new travel restrictions in other countries despite the surge of coronavirus cases in some parts of the world. (Genalyn Kabiling)
