OFWs may face travel ban if infected with new COVID-19 variant

The Philippine government is considering extending travel restrictions to include Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) coming from countries with reported cases of the new COVID-19 variant.

Currently, travelers from 21 countries identified with the new variant are already barred from entering the Philippines, with OFWs being a notable exemption.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III mentioned that a recommendation has been made to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to include OFWs in this travel ban.

This potential inclusion is reportedly being studied and could be implemented if an OFW is confirmed to be infected with the new COVID-19 variant.

Bello explained that the possibility of an OFW being contaminated by the variant might influence the IATF's decision to include them in the restriction.