Manila: The Electronic Arrival Card (e-Arrival Card) will no longer be required to be completed before passengers board flights to the Philippines, the Manila government has announced.
Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, the officer in charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) at the presidential palace stated that initially, the Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) required all incoming travelers to get an eArrival Card filled up 72 hours prior to their departure, from November 1, 2022.
Garafil explained, however, that travellers who are unable to complete the form before their flight can now do so at the airport.
The e-Arrival Card replaced the "One Health Pass" requirement, which has been in place since 2021.
Scan-and-go
The eArrival Card will now be used as a scan-and-go system at the country's airports to provide convenience for travelers, officials said.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said that during their most recent Cabinet meeting, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos authorised the move to scrap the 72-hour rule to ease travel to the country.
Travelers can fill out the said card at their own convenience, before departure or upon arrival.
Special lanes will also be set up in the country's gateways for those who have not had the opportunity to fill out the e-Arrival Card prior to their flight.
“The overarching direction of the Marcos administration is to allow our country to convey an openness and a readiness to the world to receive tourists and investments so that we would give our fellow Filipinos an opportunity to regain all the livelihood and losses that were incurred during the pandemic,” Frasco told local media.
