The Philippines is easing its travel restrictions for fully vaccinated visitors from Oct. 14 and allowing many businesses to fully reopen after Covid cases fell to a two-month low.
A statement from Presidential spokesman Henry Roque said the Metro Manila region is moving to Alert Level 3 from Oct. 16 to Oct. 31st. This will allow for indoor dining, MICE events, indoor tourist attractions and other recreation venues to open at 30 percent capacity for vaccinated clients.
Internet cafes, billiard halls, cinemas and other such venues are also permitted to resume operation, although according to the government’s guidelines, casinos will remain closed.
Staycations have also been allowed to reopen – with 29 hotels in total allowed to accommodate staycation guests from October 16. The DOT said hotels accepting staycations guests are allowed at 100 percent operational capacity.
Foreign visitors to the Philippines from countries considered as low risk will need a negative PCR test in their country of origin 72 hours prior to departure and will need to self-monitor their health for 14 days, but will not be required to quarantine on arrival.
The Philippines is easing restrictions after speeding up its vaccination programme. Countrywide the rate is still only at 30.8 percent for both doses. However, in the national capital region that rate has already reached 78.9 percent, with 91.8 percent having received the first dose.
The government has said it want to vaccinate all workers in its key tourism industry by the end of this year.
Metro Manila was put into lockdown at the end of July on concern about the spread of the Delta variant, forcing closure of the casinos.
