Philippines to lift travel ban on Bangladesh from September 6

Dhaka: The Philippines will lift the entry ban on travellers from Bangladesh and nine other countries from September 6, the presidential spokesperson said on September 4. 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation of the inter-agency Covid-19 task force to lift the current travel restrictions in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the UAE, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that travellers from these 10 countries will have to spend 14 days in quarantine upon arrival.

"International travellers coming from the above-mentioned countries shall, however, comply with the appropriate entry, testing, and quarantine protocols," Roque said in a statement.

However, foreign tourists are still banned from entering the country except for holders of special visas such as diplomats and foreign spouses of Filipino citizens.

Though a small number of Bangladeshis visit the Philippines, it also signals to some other Southeast Asian countries to lift travel on Bangladesh.

Reports said Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia have received requests to open their countries to Bangladeshi patients. Several thousand Bangladeshi patients travel to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia to for advanced medical treatment.

The Philippines is grappling with soaring Covid-19 infections and has reported 2,040,568 Covid-19 cases, including 33,873 deaths, as of September 3.