MANILA — Malacañang on Friday outlined new COVID-19 quarantine and testing protocols for inbound Filipino travelers and foreign nationals.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said effective Feb. 10, 12:01 a.m., fully vaccinated Filipinos must show a negative result of an RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure from country of origin.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, they will no longer be required to go under facility-based quarantine but they must self-monitor for any COVID-19 symptom for 7 days.

Any sign of illness should be reported to the local government, he said.

Nograles said Filipinos who are not vaccinated, only partially vaccinated, or whose inoculation status cannot be validated should also present a negative RT-PCR test result taken 48 hours before departure.

He added they need to stay in a facility quarantine until they get the negative result of another RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day from date of arrival. They should then undergo home quarantine until the 14th day, under the supervision of local authorities.

Unvaccinated Filipinos below 12 years will follow the quarantine protocols of the parent or guardian traveling with them, Nograles said.

Meanwhile, he said 12 to 17-year-olds will follow the procedures that apply to their vaccination status.

“In the cases of unvaccinated minor children, either parent should accompany their child or children during the facility-based quarantine,” the official said in a press briefing.

Video courtesy of PTV

For fully recovered Filipinos who still test positive for COVID-19 they will be allowed to enter the Philippines provided they are able to present the following documents, Nograles said.

• Positive RT-PCR test taken not earlier than 10 days but not later than 30 days prior to departure
• Positive RT-PCR test result taken without 48 hours prior to departure
• Medical certificate from a doctor stating that the traveler completed mandatory isolation period for COVID-19, is no longer contagious, and cleared to travel

Upon arrival to the Philippines, they will no longer need to stay in a quarantine facility if they are fully vaccinated. However, they should self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 7 days, Nograles said.

If they are unvaccinated, they must undergo facility quarantine until the result of their RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day, after which they should stay in home quarantine for until the 14th day, he added.

Effective Feb. 10, 12:01 a.m., Nograles said foreign nationals traveling for business or tourism may enter the Philippines without visas if they satisfy the following conditions.

This screenshot from Nograles’ slideshow lists requirements for visa-free entry to the Philippines for foreign travelers.

This screenshot from Nograles’ slideshow lists requirements for visa-free entry to the Philippines for foreign travelers.

This screenshot from Nograles’ slideshow lists requirements for visa-free entry to the Philippines for foreign travelers.

This screenshot from Nograles’ slideshow lists requirements for visa-free entry to the Philippines for foreign travelers.

This screenshot from Nograles’ slideshow lists requirements for visa-free entry to the Philippines for foreign travelers.

“Visa-free foreign nationals who fail to fully comply [with] the conditions and requisites mentioned shall be denied admission into the country and shall be subject to the appropriate exclusion proceedings,” Nograles said.

“But once admitted into the country, such foreign nationals are no longer required to observe facility-based quarantine,” he continued.

The official said they are instead required to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 7 days.

The Philippines in January logged record high cases several times, pushing the tally of overall infections to some 3.5 million, with at least 54,168 deaths.

At least 59.3 million of the country's 109 million population have been fully vaccinated, while at least 7.7 million have received booster jabs.

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