Duterte admin studies lifting travel ban on Hong Kong, Macau

The Philippine government is studying the proposed lifting of the travel ban on Hong Kong and Macau, with President Duterte prioritizing the safety and protection of Filipinos.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo stated that the matter is still under assessment by concerned authorities, similar to the recent lifting of the ban on Taiwan.

The decision to lift the ban on Taiwan was made after the government was convinced of the island's sufficient measures to prevent potential carriers of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from entering or departing.

Travel restrictions on Taiwan were imposed on February 11, and their withdrawal was welcomed by Taipei, which had previously considered revoking the visa-free entry for Filipinos.

Panelo emphasized that any resolution regarding travel restrictions will undergo regular review by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

The task force will evaluate other jurisdictions, including Macau and Hong Kong, based on their submitted protocols to prevent the entry and exit of potential virus carriers and track travel history.