The Philippines included on Friday United Arab Emirates and Hungary in the travel ban amid the reported cases of new strain of coronavirus disease.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the travel restrictions in the two countries is effective at 12:01am on January 17 until January 31.

The Office of the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, has made the decision to include UAE and Hungary in the list, which now covers 34 countries or jurisdictions. The first case of new strain of COVID-19 in the Philippines had travel history in UAE.

"Foreign passengers coming from or who have been to the UAE and Hungary within fourteen (14) days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines shall be prohibited from entering the country effective January 17, 2021, 12:01 am, Manila time until January 31, 2021," Roque said.

Effective immediately, he said the foreign passengers coming from, or who have been to these two countries within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, arriving before January 17, 12:01am, Manila time, shall be allowed to enter the Philippines.

However, they shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, even if they obtain a negative RT-PCR test result.

Filipino citizens coming from, or who have been to the UAE and Hungary, within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines shall be allowed to enter the Philippines but shall also be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, even if the RT-PCR test result is negative.

Meanwhile, Roque said all unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens coming from countries/jurisdictions where travel restrictions are in place on account of the new variants of COVID-19, shall not be allowed boarding by the airlines until January 31, 2021, except minors returning through the repatriation program of the national government.

He said the repatriated minors shall be turned over to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration house parent who, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, shall ensure the minors’ safety and their observance of quarantine protocols.

All unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens who land on Philippine airports, notwithstanding the prohibition against boarding, shall not be sent back to their port of departure, the spokesman said.

"However, they shall be turned over to an authorized DSWD officer who can ensure the minors’ safety and their observance to quarantine protocols," he added.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases earlier extended the travel restrictions to foreigners coming from 32 other countries or jurisdictions, including Japan, until January 31. Celerina Monte/DMS