Taiwan travel ban begins

Image from Google Maps
Image from Google Maps

THE Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) started to enforce the ban on tourists from Taiwan immediately following a Department of Health (DOH) announcement on Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 that the temporary travel restriction and ban on China includes Taiwan.

On Monday, Cebu Pacific was the first to cancel flights from Mactan to Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, effective Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Philippine Airlines also cancelled its flights to Taiwan until March 28, 2020.

“The government directive also temporarily bans Filipinos from traveling to points in greater China, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. These restrictions are in relation to the coronavirus situation, in the interest of public health and safety,” PAL said in a statement.

Affected passengers of both airlines were contacted and offered refunds or rebooking options.

Mary Anne Dimabayao, head of the public affairs office of MCIA, said they had yet to feel the effects of the travel ban imposed on Taiwan.

Taiwan is the fifth largest tourist market in the region.

In 2018, Central Visayas welcomed 84,750 Taiwanese tourists, up 18.14 percent from the 71,739 Taiwanese recorded in 2017, based on figures obtained from the Department of Tourism.

Meanwhile, more than 400,000 visitors from the Philippines went to Taiwan in 2018, up 44.13 percent from the number recorded in 2017.

Travel restrictions imposed by the Philippine government include barring Filipino nationals from travelling to Taiwan, including the flight and cabin crew.

The ban also covers the entry of foreign nationals, except Permanent Resident Visa (PRV) holders, who come directly from Taiwan, or have been there within 14 days immediately before arrival in the Philippines.

At Capitol, the Cebu Provincial Government has identified its third designated quarantine facility for returning Filipinos and PRV holders as part of ongoing measures to prevent the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD).

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Tuesday, Feb. 11 said the facility is an evacuation center in Barangay Busay built by the Office of Civil Defense.

Garcia said the facility will accommodate returning Filipinos and PRV holders should there be a spillover at the Cebu Provincial Women and Children Development Center (CPWCDC) in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City where some returning Filipinos from China are currently being quarantined for 14 days.

The governor has directed Provincial Health Officer Cristina Giango to ensure that the facility in Busay is fit for accommodation, complete with utility connections and clean amenities.

Aside from the centers in Lahug and Busay, the Province earlier identified Project New Life in Pinamungajan town as a quarantine facility for persons not qualified for home quarantine.

“Right now, we’re handling the influx of PRV holders and returning Filipinos efficiently and safely,” Garcia said.

“The facility in Pinamungajan is last in priorities. As much as possible, we want to contain it in Cebu City because it’s closer and more convenient,” Garcia added in a mix of English and Cebuano.

Meanwhile, the Province has tapped the Anti-Cybercrime Unit of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 to help monitor persons spreading false information in relation to the 2019-nCoV ARD.

Garcia said she would enter into an agreement with the PRO to “further strengthen” the measure.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Bautista said the DSWD is willing to help the DOH with the use of its facilities as quarantine areas for Persons Under Monitoring (PUM) and Persons Under Investigation (PUI) to be quarantined, but this would all depend on whether these could pass health standards.

As of 12 noon of Feb. 11, the DOH said 382 patients were under investigation in the Philippines for the 2019-nCoV ARD of whom 266 were currently admitted, 111 had been discharged, two died of other causes, and three were confirmed cases. Of the three confirmed cases, two were discharged, while one died. The number of PUIs in Central Visayas has risen to 51, from 20 a day ago.

Worldwide, there were 40,554 confirmed cases as of Feb. 10, 2020, of which 40,235 were in China, according to the World Health Organization. (JOB, RTF, RSR, PAC, KFD)

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