Philippines updates ‘Red, Green, Yellow’ list countries for arriving passengers

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has placed at least 44 countries in the world under the “Green” list category, while two others have remained under “Red” list for November 16 to 30, 2021.

The Philippines has revised the roster of “red, yellow, and green” countries and jurisdictions, as well as the testing and quarantine protocols for arriving passengers.

Green has been used for countries that are low risk to coronavirus disease (Covid-19), while Red is for those classified as high risk. Yellow means moderate risk.

The red, yellow, and green list was updated during the meeting of members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID)

Philippines 42 countries in the world under the “Green” list category

1. American Samoa
2. Bhutan, Chad
3. China (Mainland)
4. Comoros
5. Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
6. Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
7. Federated States of Micronesia
8. Guinea, Guinea-Bissau
9. Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China)
10. India
11. Indonesia
12. Japan
13. Kosovo
14. Kuwait
15. Kyrgyzstan
16. Malawi
17. Mali
18. Marshall Islands
19. Montserrat
20. Morocco
21. Namibia
22. Niger
23. Northern Mariana Islands
24. Oman
25. Pakistan
26. Palau
27. Paraguay
28. Rwanda
29. Saint Barthelemy
30. Saint Pierre and Miquelon
31. Saudi Arabia
32. Senegal
33. Sierra Leone
34. Sint Eustatius
35. South Africa
36. Sudan
37. Taiwan
38. Togo
39. Uganda
40. United Arab Emirates
41. Zambia
42. Zimbabwe.

YELLOW LIST OF COUNTRIES

All other countries/territories/jurisdictions not otherwise listed above.

RED LIST COUNTRY

• Faroe Islands
• The Netherlands

Updated testing, quarantine rules

The revised testing and quarantine protocols for international travelers will be implemented starting November 22, National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) spokesperson Restituto Padilla Jr. said Saturday.

Under the guidelines approved by the government’s COVID-19 task force on Thursday, fully vaccinated individuals coming from yellow countries must have a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure.

Upon arrival, they shall undergo facility-based quarantine with a third day RT-PCR test, with the date of arrival being the first day. Previously, these travelers were required to undergo facility quarantine for five days.

Upon release of a negative RT-PCR test, they may be discharged from facility quarantine. They are then enjoined to self-monitor up to the 14th day from the date of arrival.

If without a negative pre-departure test, they shall undergo facility-based quarantine with a fifth day RT-PCR test, with the date of arrival being the first day.

If the test comes back negative, they may be discharged from facility quarantine. After this, they will be required to undergo home quarantine until the 10th day from the date of arrival.

Individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated must undergo facility-based quarantine with an RT-PCR test done on the seventh day, with the date of arrival being the first day.

Upon the release of a negative RT-PCR test, individuals shall be required to undergo home quarantine until the 14th day from the date of arrival.

For passengers coming from “green” list countries or areas with low risk for COVID-19 transmission, the protocols are the following:

1. For fully vaccinated Filipinos:
   • Facility-based quarantine with on-arrival RT-PCR testing until the release of their negative results. After this, the individual is enjoined to self-monitor until the 14th day of their arrival with the date of arrival being the first day
   • If with a negative test taken within 72 hours prior to the departure from the country of origin, no facility-based quarantine, and no on-arrival RT-PCR test is required.
2. For fully vaccinated foreigners, a negative RT-PCR test shall be required to be taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin. Upon arrival, no facility-based quarantine and no on-arrival RT-PCR test will be further required but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day with the first day being the date of arrival.
3. For unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, individuals whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated, and those vaccinated but failed to comply with the test-before-travel requirements, they must undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of a negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day and self-monitor until the 14th day of arrival with the date of arrival being the first day.

Entry of travelers from “red” list countries or those tagged as high risk is still prohibited, except for Filipinos under a government or non-government initiated repatriation program.

These Filipinos must observe a 10-day facility-based quarantine with RT-PCR testing on the seventh day. Children will undergo the same quarantine procedure with their parents, regardless if they are vaccinated or not.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has also approved in principle the entry of tourists who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from countries under the green list pending guidelines, the Department of Tourism said Friday.

DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said only fully vaccinated individuals inoculated with vaccines granted an emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration or those authorized by the World Health Organization will be allowed entry.