Iloilo Releases New Set of Travel Requirements for Domestic Travelers

Iloilo City released a new set of updated travel requirements for travelers who want to visit the city.

Before travel, incoming travelers must secure an approved S-PaSS Travel Coordination Permit. Then on the day of travel, travelers will need to present the S-PaSS Travel Coordination Permit upon check-in with the designated airline or sea craft together with the VaxCert or vaccination card for fully vaxxed travelers.

Upon arrival in Iloilo City, fully vaxxed travelers shall undergo RT-PCR testing, provided free at the Lapaz Gym, and be under quarantine until the test result is released. As for the partially vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers, they are to undergo a mandatory 3-day hotel quarantine. On the third day, travelers must proceed to Lapaz Plaza to avail of the free RT-PCR test. However, they will remain in hotel quarantine until negative results are released. [1]

The country is set to implement new health protocols as it opens its borders for incoming Filipino and international travelers, temporarily disregarding the previous risk classifications of areas and countries.

Fully vaxxed travelers are required to comply with a negative RT-PCR test result taken 48 hours before departure for their point of origin. Once fully vaxxed travelers arrive in the country, they are no longer required to undergo the mandatory quarantine. Still, they need to do self-monitoring for any signs and symptoms within seven days from the date of arrival. Fully vaxxed travelers experiencing symptoms shall report to the destined local government unit.

Fully vaxxed travelers entering the country must secure the following as proofs of vaccination: World Health Organization International Certificates of Vaccination and Prophylaxis, VaxCertPH, and a national or state digital certificate of the foreign government which accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal arrangement unless permitted by the Inter-Agency Task Force.

On the other hand, those travelers who are unvaccinated and partially vaccinated must present a negative RT-PCR test result taken 48 hours before departure from their point of origin. These incoming travelers will also need to undergo a mandatory quarantine until the results of their RT-PCR tests taken on the fifth day of quarantine are released. They shall again undergo home quarantine for 14 days, considering the arrival date as the first day. Regarding the home quarantine protocol, the government has assigned local government units and Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams to monitor the arrival of travelers who are under home quarantine.

Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles also announced that fully vaxxed foreign travelers coming from non-visa-required countries are now permitted to enter the country, effective February 10. [2]

Fully vaxxed foreign travelers arriving in the country should secure a valid passport and a return or outbound ticket to their country of origin. They are to present the exact legitimate proof of vaccination. In summation, travel requirements effective last February 1 would be for the fully vaxxed Filipino travelers, wherever country they are from, and travel requirements effective this February 10 would be applicable for the fully vaxxed foreign travelers coming from non-visa countries. [3]

Opening the borders for incoming travelers is a move of the government that will positively impact the restoration of tourism and businesses in the country.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Iloilo and Panay Island!