Select foreigners will be allowed to enter the Philippines again starting February 1.

The country will revert to the old status quo after it imposed a travel ban on travellers from countries with cases of the COVID-19 variant first detected in the United Kingdom.

“On February 1, we will go back to our old status quo before we even implemented the travel ban restrictions,” said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles in an ABS CBN News report.

The ban on the entry of foreign travellers from over 30 countries meant to stop the spread of the highly transmissible COVID-19 variant started last December and will end on Jan. 31.

The Philippines had its first patient with the new variant earlier this month when a Filipino who came from Dubai was tested positive for the virus.

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Nograles clarified foreigners with tourist visas are still not allowed.

Those who will be allowed to enter are foreign spouses of Philippine nationals; foreign minor children and foreign children of Filipino nationals; foreign parents of minor Filipino children; foreign seafarers; accredited foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents; foreign airline crew; those with valid long-term visas such as the temporary resident visa, legal resident status visa, permanent resident visa, and native-born visa; foreign investors with valid visa, those with pre-arranged employment visa and balikbayan travelling with their spouse and dependent children.

The Bureau of Immigration has the exclusive prerogative to decide on the waiver or recall of exclusion orders, Nograles said.

“We have a new protocol that they should have a pre-arranged quarantine facility. The minimum booking is seven days. They will be checked for symptoms,” Nograles said in the report.

Bookings must be made in an accredited isolation or quarantine hotel or facility. The traveler must then undergo swabbing after 5 days from arrival. (CC)