AKTUELLA HÄNDELSER

Typhoon Rai

Typhoon RAI (local name Odette) has exited the Philippines as of Saturday December 18, 2021. The Philippine Government along with International Organizations have now mobilized its disaster agencies to provide retrieval and relief operations. Electricity and Telecommunications have been partially restored in most of affected areas but most provinces still have difficulties accessing these services.

Most Commercial Domestic Flights to and from the provinces of Bohol, Surigao Provinces (including Siargao Island), Negros Provinces, Samar Provinces, Leyte Provinces and Palawan are still cancelled or limited. 

Affected Swedish Nationals are advised to contact the Embassy through our email ambassaden.manila@gov.se so we could know your status. We also advise for those affected to contact their Local Government Units (LGUs) for proper coordination and assistance. 

The Philippine Coastguard is assisting in transportation of Tourists and Residents from Siargao and Dinagat Islands to the main island of Surigao Del Norte.

The situation in the Philippines due to the Covid-19 pandemic

The Philippine authorities have introduced a five-level warning level system and the possibility of granular lockdowns where 5 being the strictest form of lockdown. The National Capital Region is currently classied under alert level 3 while the rest of the country is currently classified in level 2, from January 3 to January 15. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the entry ban to the Philippines applies to all foreigners with certain exceptions. Entry visas to the Philippines must be arranged prior to arrival. Visas can no longer be obtained upon arrival in the country. Arriving passengers are required to have a pre-booked accredited quarantine facility and a pre-booked Covid-19 test. The airline can provide more information. No tourists are allowed to enter the country.

Contact the Philippine Embassy in Stockholm  and the Bureau of Immigration in Manila (see the agency's Facebook page ) for more information on travel restrictions and which categories of travellers are allowed to enter the country.

The 14-day mandatory quarantine applies to all arriving passengers to the Philippines, of which the first 4-8 days must be spent in a special quarantine facility and must be tested on the 3rd or 5^th day for fully  vaccinated or 7^th day for partially or unvaccinated travellers depending on the country of travel origin , see the attached link (IATF-Resolution) for more information.

For further information, please see Covid-19: Location and travel information

Most schools are still distance learning, shopping malls and restaurants are open. Most authorities still have limited staff. The local political leadership in provinces and cities can decide on specific local measures and restrictions.

The Embassy urges Swedes in the Philippines to closely follow the development of events and the instructions of local authorities. More information about the spread of the virus and health advice can be found on the website of the Philippine Department of Health.

The Embassy encourages Swedish travellers and Swedes living in the Philippines to sign up for the Swedish list.

The daily quota for the number of incoming passengers, who are allowed to enter the country, has increased from 1,500 to 2,000 people per day.

Mer information om smittspridning och hälsoråd

I Sverige är Folkhälsomyndigheten ansvarigt departement för frågor som gäller spridningen av infektionen. Folkhälsomyndigheten övervakar utvecklingen av viruset och uppdaterar sin websida kontinuerligt. Om du har frågor om hälsoråd, smittvägar och råd vid hemkomst rekommenderar vi deras webbsida frågor och svar samt allmänt om utbrottet.

Det finns även bra information på WHO:s webbplats om coronaviruset och det internationella samarbetet för att begränsa spridningen av viruset.