The government on Friday has announced that it is including Portugal in its red list starting December 12, with a travel ban enforced on December 15.
"Na-escalate po ang bansang Portugal sa red list, simula 12:01 AM ng December 12, 2021," said Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles, citing the Inter-Agency Task Force Resolution No. 153.
(Portugal has been escalated to the country’s red list, starting 12:01 AM on December 12, 2021.)
According to Nograles, arriving travelers from Portugal starting December 12 but not before December 15 will need to submit to the testing and quarantine protocols for red list countries.
Starting December 15, however, the Philippines will bar flights coming from Portugal except for arriving Filipinos.
"Ang papayagan lamang ang mga Pilipinong bumalik sa bansa via government-initiated repatriation, non-government-initiated repatriation, at Bayanihan flights," Nograles said.
(Only those allowed entry are Filipinos via government initiated repatriation, non-government-initiated repatriation, and Bayanihan flights.)
The government has been tightening its restrictions for overseas arrivals amid the threat of the Omicron variant.
Recently, France was also included in the country's red list, with a travel ban also underway.
