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PH to bar entry of foreigners, non-OFWs starting March 20

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/01/21/20201222-naia-christmas-covid-md-21.jpg"/><figcaption>A limited number of passengers pass through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on December 22, 2020, 3 days before Christmas. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>MANILA (<strong>3rd UPDATE</strong>) - The Philippine government will temporarily close its borders to foreigners and returning Filipinos who are not overseas workers starting March 20 amid an increase in the number of daily COVID-19 cases in the country.</p><p>In a memorandum circular issued Tuesday, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said the Philippines will suspend the entry of foreigners and Philippine passport holders who are non-OFWs from Thursday, March 18, until April 19, 2021, &quot;in light of efforts to prevent the entry of SARS-CoV-2 variants from other countries and the further rise of cases.&quot;</p><p>The entry ban will cover all foreigners and non-OFWs, except for the following:</p><ul>	<li>holders of 9(c) visa</li>	<li>medical repatriation and their escort/s duly endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration </li>	<li>distressed returning overseas Filipinos dully endorsed by the DFA and the OWWA</li>	<li>emergency, humanitarian and other analogous cases approved by the NTF COVID-19</li></ul><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/03/16/ntf1.jpg"/></figure></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/03/16/ntf2.jpg"/></figure></div><p>The Civil Aeronautics Board earlier said it would only allow 1,500 inbound passengers from international flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport starting March 18.</p><p>The cap on inbound arrivals in the country&#x27;s main gateway will be in effect until April 18, 2021, CAB said in an advisory.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/16/21/ph-sets-cap-on-inbound-international-arrivals-at-naia-amid-covid-19-surge">PH sets cap on inbound international arrivals at NAIA amid COVID-19 surge</a></li></ul><p>The CAB advisory will prevail, said NTF spokesperson Ret. Gen. Restituto Padilla.</p><p>&quot;By and large wala naman po pagkakaiba, 2 araw lang po &#x27;yan pero ang motive po ng pareho circular na ito ay &#x27;yung paghihigpit ng pagpasok ng ating bansa para mapababa ang bilang ng may sakit na COVID-19 at mga bagong variant na nakukuha natin,&quot; he told ABS-CBN&#x27;s Teleradyo.</p><p>(By and large, there&#x27;s no difference, it&#x27;s just 2 days. The motive of both circulars is to tighten the entry to our country to lower the number of COVID-19 cases and those with new variants.)</p><div><strong> FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS </strong></div><p>Because of the development, Cebu Pacific announced that it would be cancelling flights through the following routes from Mar. 18 to April 18, 2021: </p><ul>	<li> Manila – Narita (Tokyo) – Manila </li>	<li> Manila – Nagoya – Manila</li></ul><p>Cebu Pacific said all affected passengers would be informed through the contact details they provided in the ticket booking. </p><p>They can update, rebook, or have a refund for their flights through the airline&#x27;s Manage Booking portal within 30 days from the date of departure <a href="http://bit.ly/CEBmanageflight">here</a>. <br/> </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1641377" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>On Tuesday, the Department of Health reported over 4,000 new confirmed infections in the country.</p><p>The Philippines is unlikely to return to enhanced community quarantine this March despite a surge in COVID-19 cases, Malacañang said as the country marked the first year of its coronavirus lockdown.</p><div><strong>- With a report from Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/16/21/ph-logs-4437-new-covid-19-cases-5th-straight-day-that-daily-count-tops-4000">PH logs 4,437 new COVID-19 cases, 5th straight day that daily count tops 4,000</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/15/21/return-to-strictest-lockdown-unlikely-in-march-despite-spike-in-covid-19-cases">Return to strictest lockdown unlikely in March despite spike in COVID-19 cases</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1641303" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>MANILA (UPDATED) - The Philippine government will temporarily close its borders to foreigners and returning Filipinos who are not overseas workers starting March 20 amid an increase in the number of daily COVID-19 cases in the country.</p>

MANILA (UPDATED) - The Philippine government will temporarily close its borders to foreigners and returning Filipinos who are not overseas workers starting March 20 amid an increase in the number of daily COVID-19 cases in the country.