Alert: Updated Travel Advisory U.S. Embassy Manila (August 7, 2020)

[Jack D]

United States Embassy Manila, Philippines

Alert: Updated Travel Advisory – U.S. Embassy Manila (August 7, 2020)  

Location:  The Philippines  

Event:  The U.S. Department of State has updated its Philippines Travel Advisory. 

Reconsider travel to the Philippines due to COVID-19. Additionally, exercise increased caution in the Philippines due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, a measles outbreak, and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. 

Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel.    

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for the Philippines due to COVID-19.    

Philippines has resumed most transportation options, (including airport operations and re-opening of borders) and business operations (including day cares and schools).  Other improved conditions have been reported within the Philippines. Visit the Embassy's COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 in the Philippines.   

Do Not Travel to:

·         The Sulu Archipelago, including the southern Sulu Sea, due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

·         Marawi City in Mindanao due to terrorism and civil unrest.  

Reconsider Travel to:

·         Other areas of Mindanao due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping. 

Terrorist and armed groups continue plotting possible kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks in the Philippines. Terrorist and armed groups may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. The Philippine government has declared a “State of National Emergency on Account of Lawless Violence in Mindanao.”

There is an outbreak of measles in the Philippines. Philippine authorities have reported deaths in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Davao. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has additional information on the outbreak.

Read the country information page. 

If you decide to travel to the Philippines:

·         See the U.S. Embassy's webpage regarding COVID-19.  

·         Visit the CDC’s webpage on Travel and COVID-19.   

·         Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.

·         Avoid demonstrations.

·         Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

·         Follow the Department of State on Facebookand Twitter.

·         Review the Crime and Safety Report for the Philippines.

·         U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.

The Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea – Level 4: Do Not Travel 

Terrorist and armed groups continue to conduct kidnappings on land and at sea for ransom, bombings, and other attacks targeting U.S. citizens, foreigners, civilians, local government institutions, and security forces.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in the Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel to those areas. 

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Marawi City in Mindanao – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Civilians are at risk of death or injury due to conflict between remnants of terrorist groups and Philippine security forces in Marawi.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Mindanao as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel there.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Mindanao – Level 3: Reconsider Travel 

The Philippine government maintains a state of emergency and greater police presence in the Cotabato City area, and in the Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat provinces.

Terrorist and armed groups continue to conduct kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks targeting U.S. citizens, foreigners, civilians, local government institutions, and security forces. 

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Mindanao as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel there. 

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Assistance:

·        U.S. Embassy in the Philippines

          +63 (2) 301-2000

·         ACSInfoManila@state.gov 

·         State Department – Consular Affairs

          888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444

·         Philippines Country Information

·         Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates 

·        Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

 

[Jollygoodfellow]

So they added Covid 19 to the usually crap.  Big deal 

[Jollygoodfellow]

Whats the Philippines travel advisory on travel to the US.

Covid

Riots

Terrorism

 

[Joey G]

Apparently this was in response to the MECQ being reinstated in Metro Manila... other countries updated their advisories as well.

https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/philippines?

[Mike J]

The inclusion of the warning about covid reminds me of the term "sour grapes".   

Cambridge dictionary :  If you describe someone's behavior or opinion as sour grapes, you mean that that person is angry because they have not gotten or achieved something that they wanted:
I don't think it's such a great job - and that's not just sour grapes because I didn't get it.

 

[Jack D]

7 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

So they added Covid 19 to the usually crap.  Big deal 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Opinions are just like A-holes -- everyone has one. 

Contrary to your opinion, traveling to the Philippines during COVID-19 is not just a mere trivial matter!

Having recently returned from the Philippines, my travel to and from there was much more difficult, frustrating, bureaucratic and expensive than ever before.

I thought that it may be helpful to newbies, as well as old-timers to the Philippines, to know that things are not the same as they used to be before Covid-19. In fact, very little on this planet is the same as it used to be before Covid-19.

[roddavis]

New alert from BI for foreign spouses must have valid visa for entry:

PRESS RELEASE
08 August 2020

Alien spouses of Pinoys need visas to enter PH - BI

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) told foreigners who have Filipino spouses and dependents that they can only enter the Philippines if they have the appropriate visas.

"It is clear from the latest updates from the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution 60 that foreigners, including spouses of Philippine citizens, allowed to enter country must have the proper visas prior their arrival in the country," BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement.

He added that the same requirement applies to children of Philippine citizens and children with special needs, regardless of age, as well as to foreign parents of Filipino and children with special needs, also regardless of age.

Morente pointed out that prior to the issuance of said IATF-EID resolution, non-visa required foreign nationals married to Filipinos were indeed allowed to enter the country upon presentation of their marriage certificates and other proof of their matrimonial relationship.

"But that is no longer the case with the issuance of this latest IATF-EID resolution . Foreign spouses of Filipinos must now secure entry visas from our Consulates abroad before traveling to the Philippines. Otherwise, they will be denied entry by our immigration officers and sent back to their ports of origin," Morente warned.

BI Port Operations Acting Chief Grifton Medina disclosed that pursuant to the said IATF-EID resolution, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a Foreign Service Circular 36 - 2020, last 03 August 2020, exempting the said foreigners from the suspension of visa issuance by Philippine Consulates abroad.

Medina, however, clarifed that the visa requirement applies only to foreign spouses, dependents and parents of Filipinos who do not have existing visas.

"Those aliens who already hold valid permanent and temporary resident visas which they acquired by reason of marriage to Filipinos under Section 13(a) of the Philippine Immigration Act can enter the country anytime," Medina said.

He explained that said aliens don't need to apply for new entry visas, as being immigrants and holders of long-term visas, they already fall in the categories of aliens allowed to enter the country since 01 August 2020.

Medina also reminded foreign spouses of Filipinos that they must always bring with them their authenticated marriage certificates and other supporting documents when traveling to the Philippines so they could readily present them when asked to do so by immigration officers.

"There have been many instances already wherein foreign passengers claiming to be spouses of Filipinos were turned back by our officers at the airport due to their failure to show proof of marriage," he added.

[Jollygoodfellow]

9 hours ago, Jack D said:

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Opinions are just like A-holes -- everyone has one. 

Contrary to your opinion, traveling to the Philippines during COVID-19 is not just a mere trivial matter!

Having recently returned from the Philippines, my travel to and from there was much more difficult, frustrating, bureaucratic and expensive than ever before.

I thought that it may be helpful to newbies, as well as old-timers to the Philippines, to know that things are not the same as they used to be before Covid-19. In fact, very little on this planet is the same as it used to be before Covid-19.

I think everyone knows or should know if they are or even can travel anywhere as to what counties have covid 19. I mean really unless someone just woke up from a coma will they be buying a ticket somewhere without checking anything and that is if they could even get a ticket to that destination.

But the rest of the advisory is the same as usual.

I'm not having a go at you, I'm just stating that it seems like an unnecessary advisory from the authorities that put them out there.

Traveling anywhere is never a trivial matter as most people are intelligent to research their destination first and more so when there is a known issue world wide.

Yes your post is helpful, no need to take anything personally. 

[Yeochief]

On 8/8/2020 at 9:51 AM, roddavis said:

But that is no longer the case with the issuance of this latest IATF-EID resolution . Foreign spouses of Filipinos must now secure entry visas from our Consulates abroad before traveling to the Philippines. Otherwise, they will be denied entry by our immigration officers and sent back to their ports of origin,

I'm blessed to get here before this regulation.  The Houston Consulate (I'm sure that most are the same) would not issue any visas for travel to the Philippines, they shut down in March, we started trying when we put our house up for sale in January 2020.  We are staying in Marilao Bulacan, (Abangan Sur) they called and said we are under local mandatory quarantine until 20 August 2020 and we have to keep a daily record of our temperatures, so much for self quarantine.