The Philippines is set to impose travel restrictions to six more countries where new variant of coronavirus disease has been reported, Malacanang said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Office of the President, upon the joint recommendation of the Department of Health and the Department of Foreign Affairs, included Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil as among the countries subject to travel restrictions.

"In this regard, foreign passengers coming from or who have been to Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, shall be prohibited from entering the country effective January 8, 2021, 12:01am, Manila time, until January 15, 2021," said Roque.

However, effective immediately, he said foreign passengers coming from, or who have been to the abovementioned countries within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, arriving before January 8, 12:01am, Manila time, shall be allowed to enter the Philippines.

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

"Also, effective immediately, Filipino citizens coming from, or who have been to the abovementioned countries, within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, including those arriving after January 8, 2021, 12:01 am, 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," Roque added.

Filipino and foreign passengers merely transiting through those six countries shall be covered by the rules as provided in the memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated December 31, 2020, he added.

The Philippines has initially imposed travel restrictions to travelers coming from 21 countries or territories, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States, where there were reported cases of new COVID-19 strain.

Roque also said that all unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens coming from countries where travel restrictions are in place on account of the new variant of COVID-19, shall not be allowed entry from 12:01am of January 8 until January 15, except minors returning through the repatriation program of the national government.

These 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 (DSWD), shall ensure the minors’ safety and their observance of quarantine protocols, he said.

The spokesman said all unaccompanied minor Filipino citizens who are not part of the repatriation program of the national government, arriving before January 8, 2:01am, shall be turned over to an authorized DSWD officer who can ensure the minors’ safety and their observance to quarantine protocols. Celerina Monte/DMS