BI supports allowing fully-vaxxed foreigners entry

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) supports the proposal to allow fully-vaccinated foreign nationals entry into the Philippines to help revive the country's tourism sector.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente stated that the bureau backs the creation of "green lanes" for vaccinated aliens at ports of entry, pending approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Morente believes this initiative by the Department of Tourism (DOT) will not only resuscitate the tourism industry but also generate employment for millions of Filipinos who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

Opening the borders to international leisure travelers is also expected to accelerate the recovery of the severely impacted commercial aviation and shipping industries.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat had previously urged the IATF to approve the green lane system to facilitate the re-employment of tourism workers and safely reopen the industry.