By Robina Asido

The Bureau of Immigration confirmed on Monday morning the temporary suspension of the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from green list countries, including Japan.

"Yes, as directed by the Inter-Agency Task Force," Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval told Daily Manila Shimbun in a message on Monday morning following the issuance of IATF Resolution no. 151-A on Sunday night.

In a statement, Acting Presidential Spokesman Karlo Nograles said the IATF approved on Sunday the "temporary suspension of IATF Resolution No. 150-A (s.2021) providing for the entry of fully vaccinated nationals of non-visa required countries under Executive Order No. 408 (s.1960), as amended, from Green List countries, jurisdictions or territories."

It can be recalled that in its Resolution no. 151-A issued last November 25, 2021, the IATF approved the entry of fully vaccinated foreign tourists from Green List countries in the Philippines from December 1 to 15, 2021.

The entry of the fully vaccinated tourist in the country was temporarily suspended following the reported threat of the new strain of COVID-19 from South Africa called the Omicron variant. DMS