COVID-19 precaution: Gulf News staffer in Philippines writes about '6-day quarantine experience'

UPDATED TRAVEL GUIDELINES: COVID-19 quarantine guidelines (as of April 17, 2021) cover passengers arriving in the Philippines including Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families, non-OFWs as well as non-Filipino nationals.

NON-OFWS, NON-FILIPINOS: Eligible travellers are required to undergo a facility-based quarantine while waiting for their RT-PCR test administered on day six (6). Day one (1) starts on the day of the passenger’s arrival. Non-OFWs refer to returning overseas Filipinos (non-OFW students, non-OFW Balikbayan, non-OFW tourist, etc.), spouse and children of Filipinos, diplomats, foreign officials accredited by the Philippines, and eligible non-Filipino/foreign citizens.

COVID-19 TRAVEL MEASURES: The guidelines outline precautionary measures, protocols and requirements for travellers. It mandates quarantine procedures in Manila, Cebu, and Clark — three of the country’s major international gateways. This Emirates B777-200LR (long-range), flies first to Cebu-Mactan International (about 8 hours), then to Clark International (about 1 hour), before flying back to Dubai.

FACE MASK, FACE SHIELD: Passengers and crew flying to the Philippines must observe mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields in all airport facilities and on board the aircraft. This particular flight from Dubai-Cebu-Clark-Dubai is almost full.

VACCINATED PASSENGERS MUST UNDERGO QUARANTINE: Inbound passengers who completed the double dose of COVID-19 vaccinations overseas must still undergo a mandatory quarantine upon landing in the Philippines. The country, with a population of about 110 million, has administered 1.26 million doses (with 162,000 fully vaccinated, accounting for only 0.1% of the population, according to Our World in Data. Inbound passengers must fill up at least 4 forms including this affidavit of undertaking, with a reminder that failure to adhere to mandatory quarantine could lead to civil and criminal liabilities.

FOR NON-FILIPINOS AND NON-OFWS: Guests wait for their turn at hotel lobby. Travellers flying into the Philippines must have a confirmed booking at a hotel accredited by tourism and health agencies. Duration should be for at least 6 nights to accommodate the schedule of PCR test and the release of results. Passengers arriving before hotel standard check-in times are urged to book an additional night within Manila (for faster administration and processing of RT-PCR test).

FOOD RATIONED: There are no open buffets. During quarantine, food is delivered to each room by hotel staff. Rooms are monitored by CCTV cameras. Violators are penalised, with a longer quarantine period of 14 days, instead of 6 days.

NO PARTIES, NO GUESTS, NO ROOM SWITCHING: A hotel staff hands over the key to the room. International travellers under the mandatory six-day quarantine are not allowed to hold parties, entertain guests, visit or switch hotel rooms.

REGISTRATION, QR CODE: Registration using the electronic Case Investigation Form (e-CIF) is required upon landing. Details sought include passport information, phone number, home address and email address — to which a QR code is sent. It will be used as reference for PCR test. This can be filled online (c19.redcross.org.ph).

TRAZE APP: Hotel and OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) staff welcome guests. The use of Traze Mobile Application to generate and scan QR code when entering in, boarding from, and upon arriving in all Philippine airports has been mandated since November 28, 2020 by the Philippine Department of Transportation. 

SAFETY PROCEDURES ON BOARD: Strict compliance with safety procedures on handling of suspected/ill passengers on board. This includes keeping the last three (3) seat rows of the plane vacant as isolation area for suspected ill passengers already on board.

A VIEW OF CEBU-MACTAN INTERNATIONAL: Emirates operates a "circular" flight (EK 338) that lands first in Cebu, then to Clark (where a crew change takes place), before the return flight to Dubai.

SOCIAL DISTANCING: Airlines are urged to do their best to observe social distancing measures inside the aircraft, subject to space availability. This particular flight, however, had most seats occupied.

RULES MAY CHANGE. An airport official briefs passengers upon arrival at Clark International Airport, north of Manila. It is best to check with your airline before you fly as the rules may change from time to time. Philippine travel regulations are laid down by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), the Department of Transportation and the local government unit (LGU) or provincial government of the final destination declared by the passenger.

HOME, ALMOST: Only one person is allowed per room, except families with minor children below 18 years old, if the travelling family has two or more members. [For a person of determination, i.e. a person with disability (PWD), only one adult companion is allowed.]

VACCINE SUPPLIES SHORTFALL: A Filipino health worker gets vaccinated with Sinovac's Coronavac. Recently, the Philippines's vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., took a swipe at countries “hoarding” the COVID-19 vaccines and blamed them for the vaccine shortfall in middle- and low-income nations. At a UN forum, Galvez said “rich nations” had managed to secure 80% of the total global vaccine supply, leaving countries like the Philippines “scrambling” for the scarce resources.

FIVE-FOLD SPIKE IN DAILY COVID-19 INFECTIONS: The Philippine has seen a more than five-fold rise in daily COVID infection cases, from a moving average of about 1,700 (7 days) in January 2021 to more than 10,000 as April came. At the PGH, the country's premiere medical institution, up to 10 people are dying daily due to the coronavirus, according to the hospital spokesperson.