The Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) has approved the acceptance of the national COVID-19 vaccination certificate of South Korea and four other countries, a Palace official announced on Thursday.

"The IATF approved the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs to recognize the national COVID-19 vaccination certificate of Brazil, Israel, South Korea and Timor Leste for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols as well as for interzonal and intrazonal movement," Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said during the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing.

"As such, the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation – One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration are directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF," he added.

In the same briefing, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said before the pandemic, South Korea had the most number of tourist arrivals in the country.

"Our number one tourists before the pandemic are from Korea, They are the number one tourist, they are visa free countries," she said.

Nograles said the IATF for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) updated the entry, testing and quarantine protocols for foreign nationals arriving from abroad under certain provisions contained in IATF Resolution No. 160-B, dated February 3.

"In the amended protocols, foreign spouses and or children of Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens with balikbayan privilege including their foreign spouse and/or children who are not balikbayans and who are travelling with them to the Philippines, shall no longer be required to have return tickets not later than 30 days from date of arrival in the Philippines," he said.

"Meanwhile, foreign nationals coming from visa-free countries under EO 408 (series of 1960), as amended, who intend to stay beyond 30 days for purposes other than tourism or leisure may enter the Philippines through an entry exemption document issued under existing IATF rules and regulations," said Nograles.

"On the other hand, foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens who are not nationals of EO 408 countries, whether or not travelling with said Filipino citizen, or who came from visa-required countries, or who are restricted foreign nationals, may enter the country without the need for an entry exemption document provided they have been issued a 9(a) visa with the appropriate visa notation," he added.

Nograles said all foreign nationals are required to be fully vaccinated and possess acceptable proof of vaccination, except only for minor children below twelve years of age travelling with their fully-vaccinated parents.

"They must also present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to date and time of departure from country of origin or first port of embarkation in a continuous travel to the Philippines excluding lay-overs. They must not have also left the airport premises or admitted into another country during such layover," he said. Robina Asido/DMS