DOT proposes green lane for vaccinated tourists

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has proposed a 'green lane' system to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to allow fully vaccinated foreign tourists entry into the Philippines.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stated that this initiative aims to reopen tourist destinations for leisure travelers, thereby restoring jobs for tourism workers and reviving the industry under safe conditions.

The proposal follows a directive from the IATF-EID for the DOT and other agencies to develop protocols for inbound international travel for vaccinated individuals.

If approved, the 'green lane' would enable qualified travelers to visit the Philippines for leisure, with relaxed quarantine rules reflecting global vaccination progress.

A Small Working Group, led by the DOT and the Department of Foreign Affairs, has been established to assess the feasibility and develop protocols for this 'green lane' program.