All Filipino citizens, whether a returning 'overseas Filipino' or 'overseas Filipino worker (OFW)', shall be allowed to return to the Philippines, the Philippine embassy in Doha has announced.
The embassy issued an advisory to "the Filipino community in Qatar and the general public”, which was posted on Facebook, based on a circular from the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) under the National Task Force Against Covid-19.
The advisory noted that the entry of foreign nationals shall be temporarily suspended, except for:
1. Diplomats and members of international organisations, and their dependents provided they hold a valid 9(c) visa or 47(a)(2) visa, as the case may be, at the time of entry.
2. Foreign nationals, involved in medical repatriation duly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) or the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA).
3. Foreign seafarers under the 'Green Lanes' programme for crew change provided that they hold a 9(c) crew list visa at the time of entry.
4. Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens travelling with them provided they have valid visas at the time of entry; and
5. Emergency, humanitarian and other analogous cases approved by the chairperson of the National Task Force Against Covid-19 or his duly authorised representative, provided the foreign nationals have valid visas at the time of entry.
The advisory said “it should be noted that the entry of Filipinos and exempted foreign nationals are subject to the daily arrival quota beginning on March 22 until April 21”.
The embassy, answering a query from a netizen, noted that “all passengers arriving in Manila are required to undergo PCR Covid-19 tests and mandatory 14-day facility/hotel quarantine regardless of prior Covid-19 tests and/or Covid-19 inoculations in Qatar.
IATF-EID had earlier issued a circular on March 17 temporarily suspending the entry of foreigners and returning ‘overseas Filipinos’ who are non-OFWs, except for holders of 9 (e) visa; medical repatriation and their escort/s duly endorsed by the DFA-OUMWA or OWWA; distressed returning overseas Filipinos duly endorsed by the DFA-OUMWA; and emergency, humanitarian and other analogous cases approved by the National Task Force Against Covid-19.
The advisory noted that the entry of foreign nationals shall be temporarily suspended, except for:
1. Diplomats and members of international organisations, and their dependents provided they hold a valid 9(c) visa or 47(a)(2) visa, as the case may be, at the time of entry.
2. Foreign nationals, involved in medical repatriation duly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs – Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (DFA-OUMWA) or the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA).
3. Foreign seafarers under the 'Green Lanes' programme for crew change provided that they hold a 9(c) crew list visa at the time of entry.
4. Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens travelling with them provided they have valid visas at the time of entry; and
5. Emergency, humanitarian and other analogous cases approved by the chairperson of the National Task Force Against Covid-19 or his duly authorised representative, provided the foreign nationals have valid visas at the time of entry.
The advisory said “it should be noted that the entry of Filipinos and exempted foreign nationals are subject to the daily arrival quota beginning on March 22 until April 21”.
The embassy, answering a query from a netizen, noted that “all passengers arriving in Manila are required to undergo PCR Covid-19 tests and mandatory 14-day facility/hotel quarantine regardless of prior Covid-19 tests and/or Covid-19 inoculations in Qatar.
IATF-EID had earlier issued a circular on March 17 temporarily suspending the entry of foreigners and returning ‘overseas Filipinos’ who are non-OFWs, except for holders of 9 (e) visa; medical repatriation and their escort/s duly endorsed by the DFA-OUMWA or OWWA; distressed returning overseas Filipinos duly endorsed by the DFA-OUMWA; and emergency, humanitarian and other analogous cases approved by the National Task Force Against Covid-19.