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Stricter protocols for Chinese travelers? Marcos says decision depends on 'true risk'

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Passengers arrive at the departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) -Terminal 1 in Pasay City on June 20, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/12/26/20220620-naia-terminal-1-departure-jc-5.jpg"/><figcaption>Passengers arrive at the departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) -Terminal 1 in Pasay City on June 20, 2022. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/file</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Thursday said he is not keen on fully restricting the country&#x27;s borders and imposing stringent health protocols on Chinese travelers, despite soaring COVID-19 cases in China. </p><p>In an interview with Press Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, Marcos Jr. said the government&#x27;s decision will be &quot;based on science.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/29/22/iatf-to-discuss-possible-covid-curbs-for-china-travelers">Philippine task force to discuss possible COVID curbs for travelers from China</a></li></ul><p>&quot;[If] we feel that there&#x27;s a need, we will do it. But again it depends on what the true risk is to us,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Kung it&#x27;s something that is manageable, then I&#x27;m sure we can find a way to not completely close our borders to China but to find a way, to have a procedure so that those coming from China who may have been exposed or who may have been infected will be tested and &#x27;yun lang naman ang ating inaalala,&quot; he added. </p><p>Earlier, an official said the Philippines&#x27; pandemic task force would discuss possible entry restrictions for travelers from China amid the soaring number of fresh COVID infections there, with millions allegedly being unreported. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/12/25/22/china-stops-publishing-covid-19-data-amid-rise-in-infections">China stops publishing COVID-19 data amid rise in infections</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/12/29/22/global-alarm-grows-over-chinas-covid-surge">Global alarm grows over China&#x27;s COVID-19 surge</a></li></ul><p>The United States has announced mandatory COVID-19 testing for travelers from China as Beijing&#x27;s sudden easing of tough measures to contain the coronavirus -- and surge in virus cases -- caused jitters around the world.</p><p>The US move came after Italy, India and Malaysia announced their own measures to protect against new COVID variants from China.</p><p>Japan also recently announced that all travelers from China must show a negative COVID-19 test on arrival or quarantine for 7 days.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/29/22/dfa-defends-marcos-state-visit-to-china-amid-covid-surge">China assures Marcos’ safety during state visit amid COVID-19 outbreak: DFA</a></li></ul><p>Last week, the Department of Health (DOH) detected 4 cases of BF.7 in the country, which is reportedly driving COVID-19 cases in China.</p><p>The BF.7, a sublineage of the BA.5, is believed to be more transmissible and better at evading immunity, according to the DOH. </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=2397383" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Stricter protocols for Chinese travelers? Marcos says decision depends on 'true risk'

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Stricter protocols for Chinese travelers? Marcos says decision depends on 'true risk'

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 29, 2022 07:24 PM PHT

Read More:

coronavirus

COVID19

COVID-19 surge China

BF.7

China

stricter protocols China

COVID protocols China

China border control Philippines update

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