Philippine port authorities told to allow entry, exit of travelers to and from Taiwan

Port personnel in the Philippines have been instructed to allow the entry and exit of travelers to and from Taiwan, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Friday.

The order came after the Philippines lifted the ban on travel to and from Taiwan in efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.

"We have received an order from the Office of the President yesterday afternoon lifting the travel restrictions," BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement released Saturday.

"This follows the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Disease (IATF), which we are bound to implement immediately. Hence, travel may now be made by any foreign national to Taiwan from the Philippines and vice versa," he added.

According to the BI, members of the diplomatic corps, regardless of nationality, were also cover by the lifting of the ban.

Morente called this a "welcome development," adding that the bureau was ready to implement any policy change as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Though travel restrictions to Taiwan have been lifted, the travel ban for foreign nationals coming from China, Hong Kong, and Macau remains in place.

Only Filipinos and those with permanent resident visas were allowed entry from the banned area.

"We believe there are studies being done by the IATF to possibly lift the travel ban in other jurisdictions. We are on standby, ready to implement any policy change as deemed appropriate by the IATF," Morente said.

Taiwan has welcomed the Philippine government's decision to lift the ban, days after it deliberated counter-measures against the Philippines. — Joahna Lei Casilao/MDM, GMA News