A police officer mans a checkpoint as the country’s capital returns to stricter lockdown measures amid rising coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, in Quezon City on March 29, 2021. Lisa Marie David, Reuters MANILA — (UPDATE) Britain said on Friday it would add the Philippines, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Pakistan to its travel “red list,” banning entry to people arriving from those countries unless they are British or Irish nationals.
Those who come to Britain from countries on the red list will be refused entry, while returning Britons must submit to 10 days of mandatory quarantine in hotels.
Starting April 9, travelers from the Philippines cannot enter the United Kingdom except British or Irish nationals and third country nationals, including Filipinos who have residence rights, the UK said in a statement Friday.
Those eligible to enter will now be required to undergo hotel quarantine in England at their own expense for 10 days after arrival if the eligible traveller departed from or transited through the Philippines in the preceding 10 days.
“Different rules apply for arrivals into Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland,” according to the travel advice.
In a video, UK Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce said the measures were made after a “careful assessment” and that the measures are temporary which “will be kept under review and will only be maintained in place while the level of risk justifies them.”
“These measures have been put in place to protect public health in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, in particular by helping to reduce the risk of new variants entering the UK,” he said.
“At the moment there are over 30 countries on the Red List. All of these decisions have been taken after careful assessment. These are temporary measures that will be kept under review and will only be maintained in place while the level of risk justifies them,” he said.
In a tweet, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Brigido Dulay said Filipinos planning to go to UK should contact their airline or travel agents.
“Understandable, with our current surge,” Dulay said in a tweet about UK’s travel advice.
“Filipinos going to the UK should reach out to their airline/travel agent,” he said. — With report from Reuters
PH has just been added to the UK Red List (i.e. travel ban to the UK) together with Kenya, Bangladesh & Pakistan. Understandable, with our current surge. Filipinos going to the UK should reach out to their airline/travel agent. https://t.co/5E4I9BvfiZ
— Dodo Dulay (@dododulay) April 2, 2021
Related video:
Britain adds PH, Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan to travel ‘red list’ | ABS-CBN News
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