Health Alert - U.S. Embassy Manila (April 6, 2020)

Location: The Philippines

Event:

The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) lists the following community quarantine areas:

Luzon

Baguio – starting March 16 until April 15
Cagbalete Island – starting March 10 until March 23
Cainta, Rizal – starting March 15 until April 14
Catanduanes – starting March 15 until April 14
Cavite – starting March 17, effective indefinitely
Ilocos Norte – executive order signed on March 14
Ilocos Sur – March 15 until April 14
La Union – starting March 16 until April 12
Metro Manila – starting March 15, effective indefinitely
Pangasinan – starting March 16 until April 12

Visayas

Antique – starting March 17 until March 31
Bacolod City – starting March 15, effective indefinitely
Bohol – starting March 16 until March 20 (dry run)
Biliran – starting March 17 until March 31 (limited border closure)
Capiz – starting March 15, effective indefinitely
Cebu City – starting March 16 until April 14
Iloilo – starting March 15 to April 14
Leyte – starting March 18 to April 17
Negros Occidental – starting March 15 until April 14
Southern Leyte – starting March 17 until March 31
Tacloban City – starting March 21 until April 12

Mindanao

Cotabato – starting March 17
Davao de Oro – local government imposed a "partial lockdown"
Davao City – Executive order signed on March 15
Iligan City – starting March 16, effective indefinitely
Lanao del Sur – starting March 17 until April 14
South Cotabato – Executive order signed on March 16
Southern Leyte – starting March 17 until March 31
Valencia City, Bukidnon – starting March 16 until March 29
Zamboanga City – starting March 20
Zamboanga del Norte – starting March 17 until April 14

Zamboanga Sibugay – starting March 17, effective indefinitely

Please monitor the DOT website for updates: https://philippines.travel/safeph

According to the Philippine Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF):

• The wearing of face masks is mandatory in areas placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
• Anyone in the ECQ leaving their home is required to wear a face mask.
• According to the IATF, face masks may be store-bought or improvised, such as a handkerchief or small towel covering the nose and mouth.

For information on Philippine visas and the Bureau of Immigration, hotels, and car rentals, please visit this page: https://ph.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

Actions to Take:

• Contact the airlines and contacts directly for reservations and updated information.
• Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
• Monitor local news for updates.
• Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
• For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
• Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
• Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 here for information on conditions in the Philippines.
• Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
• Consult resources below as necessary:

· Philippine Department of Health (DOH)

· Philippine Department of Health (FAQs)

· Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI)

· Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)

· Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB)

· Philippine Maritime Industry Authority

· Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs

· Philippine Department Of Interior and Local Government

· Philippine Department of Tourism

· COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov

· CDC page on COVID-19

· Philippines Travel Advisory

· Philippines Country Information Page

Assistance:

U.S. Embassy in the Philippines

1201 Roxas Boulevard

+63(2) 5301-2000, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday

After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +(63)(2) 5301-2000.

• State Department–Consular Affairs 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444.
• State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Advisories, Alerts, and the Philippines Country Specific Information.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
• Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.