Travel and transportation during the coronavirus pandemic
The Philippines has been in a state of calamity since March 2020 due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the limited capacity of the Philippine health care system, the Philippine government has been applying strict quarantine measures since the start of the outbreak, which differ by region and rate of Covid-19 disease.
Leaving the Czech Republic (Slovakia) and entry requirements in the Phillipines
It is currently not possible to travel from the Czech Republic (SR) to the Philippines. Entry to the Philippines is currently prohibited except for Philippine nationals and foreign nationals holding valid residency permits. Currently, a 30-day visa-free stay for Czech (Slovak) people is suspended and entry for foreigners in the Philippines is considerably restricted, with a few exceptions. Only Filipino citizens, family members (husbands and wives and children) of Filipino citizens (with valid visas), approved foreign government officials and international organizations (with valid diplomatic visas) and foreign aircrews may enter the Philippines.
All arriving passengers must complete the “Health Declaration Form”, “Affidavit of Undertaking” and “Case Investigation Form” upon arrival, which must be completed electronically before arrival:
https://e-cif.redcross.com.ph/
The Embassy of the Czech Republic continues to strongly recommend not to purchase tickets for commercial flights from the Czech Republic to the Philippines until a definitive decision is made by the competent authorities to resume regular international passenger air transport and the possibility of their entry into the Philippines.
Domestic transport
Domestic air and maritime transport has been restored to a limited extent since 3 June 2020. However, several islands and tourist destinations remain isolated, without the possibility of transport to larger cities. For transfers between individual regions, it is recommended to thoroughly check the conditions of the transfer in the country with the specific local authorities. The gradual plan for the resumption of national flights is constantly changing (by renewing the Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific routes, we recommend following their Facebook pages). On 20 October, the measures for quarantine were changed with the possibility of leaving for a group of people aged 15 to 65 years, that is why public transportation capacities were increased. The number of passengers per taxi is still limited due to social distancing requirements.
Leaving the Phillipines
Currently, the government of the Philippines does not schedule any repatriation flights from the Czech Republic (SR). However, we recommend that you continue to follow latest information on the website or Facebook page of the Philippine Embassy in the Czech Republic (SR). Commercial flights are available from the Philippines to the Czech and Slovak Republics via airlines from several international airports: NAIA in Manila and Mactan Cebu International Airport. Currently there are no direct flights from Manila to Prague with only one standard transfer, you need to fly to Frankfurt, Munich or Vienna (or other European cities). Aircraft can be full up to 65% of maximum capacity. Transit through Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore is possible. Check the flight directly with the airline before purchasing a ticket. The Embassy in Manila recommends that citizens of the Czech Republic (SR) who have valid long-stay visas and are unable to return to the Philippines should contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by e-mail karantenamanila@mzv.cz nebo manila@embassy.mzv.cz .
Emergency line: +63 918 990 5778
Travel restrictions for Filipino citizens
From Monday, October 19, returning Filipinos coming from countries classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having a low to medium prevalence of COVID-19 cases will no longer need to undergo quarantine and testing when arriving in the Philippines.
In cases where these types of travelers are symptomatic or arriving from countries with a high prevalence of COVID-19, quarantine and PCR testing will be required.
Other important websites:
https://www.who.int/philippines
