The Netherlands, Faroe Islands under PH’s ‘red’ list

MANILA — The Philippines has put The Netherlands and Faroe Islands under the updated roster of “red” countries and jurisdictions.

“Faroe Islands and The Netherlands are the only two areas that are currently in the Red List,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.

The new country risk classification lists or the “green, yellow, and red” list, approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), will take effect from November 16 to 30, Roque said.

Following the IATF’s directive, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said travelers from Faroe Islands and The Netherlands are barred from entering the country from Nov. 16 to 30.

On the other hand, Filipinos coming from these nations may be allowed entry as assisted by government or non-government-initiated repatriation flights or bayanihan flights.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said general travel restrictions remain in effect, and tourists are not yet allowed to enter.

“Following IATF resolutions, currently, only Filipinos, balikbayans, and foreigners with valid and existing visas that would be coming from countries under the green or yellow list may be allowed to enter the Philippines,” he said in a statement.

If part of allowable classes, those coming from Green or Yellow countries may be allowed to enter, subject to applicable quarantine and testing protocols as implemented by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ).

On the other hand, states and jurisdictions on the “green” list are American Samoa, Bhutan, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Federated States of Micronesia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Montserrat, and Morocco.

Also on the green list are Namibia, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, South Africa, Sudan, Taiwan, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

“All other countries, territories, and jurisdictions not included in the Green and Red lists are under the Yellow List,” Roque said.

Meantime, the IATF-EID has also approved the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs to accept or recognize the national coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination certificates of Australia, Czech Republic, Georgia, India, Japan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Turkey, and Samoa.

The vaccine certificates, Roque said, can be used for the purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for interzonal or intrazonal movement.

“The said recommendation is in addition to such other countries/territories/jurisdictions whose proofs of vaccination the IATF already approved for recognition in the Philippines, and without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by IATF for all inbound travelers,” Roque said.

Roque said the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation’s One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration are directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination approved by the IATF-EID. (with Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)