The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 clarified on Sunday that inbound Hong Kong flights are still permitted in the country as it awaits the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).
"The NTF wishes to clarify that the inclusion of Hong Kong flights as part of inbound international flights temporarily suspended due to the emergency of the Omicron variant is not yet final," said NTF Director Darwin Wee in a statement.
"We await the formal announcement from the IATF following a final recommendation from the Technical Working Group in COVID-19 Variants and other agencies."
The clarification comes after an NTF spokesperson earlier announced that Hong Kong has been included in the travel ban of the Philippines due to the emerging Omicron variant of COVID-19.
"Until a formal announcement from the IATF is made, HK flights will still be allowed," the NTF later cleared. "We apologize for any inconvenience an earlier pronouncement may have caused."
The country on Friday imposed a travel ban against South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique due to the threat of the Omicron variant.
Dr. Tony Leachon, a public health expert, earlier recommended the temporary suspension of travel from Hong Kong as it also detected cases of the Omicron variant there.
"Dapat linawin kung may travel ban din sa Hong Kong. Dalawa ang cases nila ng Omicron at mas malapit ito sa Pilipinas. Sa halip na ibaba sa yellow list, I suggest na magkaroon din ng temporary suspension sa biyahe," he told DZRH on Sunday.
(They should clarify if there is a travel ban in Hong Kong. There are two Omicron cases there and it is much closer to the Philippines. Instead of lowering it to the yellow list, I suggest there should be a temporary suspension of travel.)
"Isa lang ang makapasok in a dense population, it would be catastrophic."
(If one case gets in a dense population, it would be catastrophic.)
