VVA Chapter PI 887

Metro Manila and select areas in Luzon and Visayas move to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) while the rest of the country remains under Modified GCQ: Health Alert – U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (August 18, 2020) On August 17, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to place the following areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from August 19 to August 31: • Luzon – National Capital Region (Metro Manila), and provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, and Quezon • Visayas – Cities of Iloilo, Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, and Talisay; and Cebu Province: Municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion The rest of the country is under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). For quarantine classification protocols and regulation, please visit https://www.covid19.gov.ph. Local Government Units (LGUs), i.e. cities and municipalities in the National Capital Region, may still impose curfews to limit exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Some provinces have implemented their own community quarantine regulations. Please check airlines for domestic travel (land, air, and sea) as they may still be restricted. If you live in an area that has imposed a local curfew ordinance or similar community quarantine, please plan your activities and travel accordingly and monitor the relevant LGU’s website for their rules and regulations. Existing travel restrictions remain unchanged until these are revised or changed by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). No foreigner can enter the country without a valid visa, regardless of the foreigner’s relationship to a Filipino citizen. There is no visa waiver or visa on arrival. Foreigners must have a valid visa or they will be turned back upon arrival at the port of entry. Please monitor updates on international travel guidelines implemented by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration by accessing the Bureau’s website at www.immigration.gov.ph and other social media accounts such as www.facebook.com/immigration.helpline.ph and www.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration. Please comply with local quarantine requirements and strictly follow local authorities. Regardless of location, U.S. citizens are encouraged to continue practicing proper anti-virus safety protocols, such as frequent hand washing and social distancing. —– ACTIONS TO TAKE: • Please contact the airlines directly for reservations and updated information. • Please check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions. • Monitor local news for updates. • Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information: https://www.coronavirus.gov/ • For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html • Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/covid-19-information.html • Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in the Philippines: https://ph.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/ • Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/07/02/dhs-dot-and-hhs-issue-new-guidance-airline-industry-partners-facilitate-safe-air •Please consult the resources below as necessary: •• Philippine Department of Health (DOH): https://www.doh.gov.ph/2019-nCov/ •• Philippine Department of Health (FAQs): https://www.doh.gov.ph/COVID-19/FAQs •• Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI): http://immigration.gov.ph/ •• Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA): http://www.miaa.gov.ph/miaa/ •• Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB): https://www.cab.gov.ph/ •• Philippine Maritime Industry Authority: https://marina.gov.ph/ •• Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs: https://www.dfa.gov.ph/ •• Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government: https://www.dilg.gov.ph/ •• Philippine Department of Tourism: http://www.tourism.gov.ph/ •• Philippines Travel Advisory: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/philippines-travel-advisory.html —– ASSISTANCE: • U.S. Embassy in the Philippines 1201 Roxas Boulevard +63 (2) 5301-2000 ACSInfoManila@state.gov • State Department – Consular Affairs 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts: https://step.state.gov/ • State Department’s travel website (https://travel.state.gov/) for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Advisories, Alerts, and the Philippines Country Specific Information (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Philippines.html). • Follow us on Twitter (@USEmbassyPH) and Facebook (U.S. Embassy in the Philippines) Please read the updated Health Alert from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines: https://ph.usembassy.gov/health-alert-u-s-embassy-manila-august-18-2020/#COVID19PH#coronavirus