PH visa arrival program suspended to prevent entry of coronavirus-infected visitors
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2020 07:30:27 +0000
THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has temporarily suspended its visa upon arrival (VUA) program as part of the government’s efforts against the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV, which has affected several countries.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente on Tuesday said the VUA was usually availed of by Chinese tour groups visiting the Philippines.
The move also follows the travel lockdown in several cities in China, particularly Wuhan province where the virus was believed to have originated, shutting down public transport services in several areas in an effort to contain the virus.
“The Civil Aeronautics Board has already suspended direct flights from Wuhan province,” said Morente. “We are now temporarilysuspending the issuance of VUA for Chinese nationals to slow down the influx of group tours,” he said.
A similar move was done by Taiwan Immigration authorities who, according to an article by the Taipei Times, cancelled permits for 429 people in 24 tour groups from Wuhan, China.
However, Morente clarified that there was no order barring Chinese from entering the country. “We have not received any directive imposing policy changes on Chinese nationals,” said Morente. “But we are taking this proactive measure to slow down travel, and possibly help prevent the entry of the 2019-nCov,” he said.
Should there be policy changes pertaining to foreign policy, said Morente, it would be through the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Office of the President, on the advice of the Department of Health.
Morente likewise clarified that it was not the BI, but the Bureau of Quarantine which has the main responsibility in determining possible passenger-carriers of the virus arriving at airports and seaports.
“It is the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) who conducts monitoring of arriving passengers to see if they are manifesting symptoms of the corona virus. They have put up measures in place to strictly check arriving passengers,” he said.
“They have been very active in giving information to frontline port personnel on how to prevent the transmission of the virus, given the risk of direct contact with possible carriers,” he said.
“The BI is always ready to assist the BOQ and the DoH in securing whatever information that they need in order to prevent the entry of this sickness in the country,” he further said. WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL