FILIPINOS in India may soon be allowed to go home, according to the government.
PRESIDENTIAL spokesperson Harry Roque, in a statement, said Filipinos in India, Pakistan Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and United Arab Emirates form part of the government repatriation programs and as such are not covered by a travel ban covering their host countries.
However, the arrival of Filipinos coming from these places will have to be covered by the prevailing policy which includes testing and quarantine protocols.
Government had extended until the end of June its travel restrictions on these countries to prevent the entry of the extremely contagious Delta COVID-19 variant first detected in India.
“Let it be clear, however, that Filipinos covered by the repatriation programs of the government and repatriation activities of manning/recruitment agencies cleared by the Bureau of Quarantine are not prohibited from entering the Philippines,” Roque said.
“They can enter the country, subject to testing and quarantine protocols.”
No less than the World Health Organization has classified the Delta variant as a variant of global concern, citing figures that saw India’s death toll.
To date, more than 330,000 have died due to the Delta virus in India. The figure, however, could be more than a million, said global experts.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Philippine News Agency)