Philippines lifts ban on non-essential outbound travel on October 21

[Adventine 3,187]

Finally, an official news source: https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-lifts-ban-non-essential-outbound-travel-october-21-2020?fbclid=IwAR2tW7tw77PkyymvEW0lI0OK_KvKxjP7Nl4zq_xXdjCNwdvCA0u3dR90h_E

 

Will still be a hassle to quarantine and pay for another COVID test after return to the Philippines, but at least it's some good news.

Edited October 16, 2020 by Adventine

[jameyj 73]

5 hours ago, Adventine said:

Finally, an official news source: https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-lifts-ban-non-essential-outbound-travel-october-21-2020?fbclid=IwAR2tW7tw77PkyymvEW0lI0OK_KvKxjP7Nl4zq_xXdjCNwdvCA0u3dR90h_E

 

Will still be a hassle to quarantine and pay for another COVID test after return to the Philippines, but at least it's some good news.

Certainly a step in the right direction. Let's see how this plays out in practical respects though. It almost never turns out to be as straightforward as it should be. 

[Allovertheworld 355]

44 minutes ago, jameyj said:

Certainly a step in the right direction. Let's see how this plays out in practical respects though. It almost never turns out to be as straightforward as it should be. 

Welcome to Philippines 

[NoMansLand2020 298]

Yeah, but they will quarantine your butt for two weeks when you come back. 

[top_secret 2,071]

We have had experience with my Filipina fiancé traveling under COVID restrictions from the brief lifting outbound travel restrictions in July.  These conditions are essentially the same as then, only with the addition of a COVID test prior to exiting.  In August, upon return she found the testing and quarantine situation at NAIA entirely efficient and straightforward and she had nothing but compliments at how NAIA staff handled things.   I think the COVID test was P4500 and she had the results in 24 hours although she quarantined 2 nights since it was a late arrival so late when test results came at 24 hours.  GoHotels in Manila was P1600 a night.  Food was from Food Panda or Grab.  The second morning with her negative result she was free to go with nothing more than a promise to self quarantine at home for two weeks.  These are travel conditions we can live with.

 

My inclination at this point with the travel restriction lifted again, is to fly her to some other neutral third country where marriages of foreigners are easy and they will accept both Americans and Filipinas in a time of COVID restrictions.   If anyone has any ideas of such a country I'd be interested.  Columbia seems a possible candidate.   Visa free and marriages of foreigner doesn't seem to difficult.  There are probably some Caribbean countries that might not be that difficult to get a tourist visa and marriages of tourists are promoted.  A legal marriage would be a basis for an i-130 instead of K1 and might also get me back into the Philippines during the wait.  This new development of lifting the travel restrictions has given me allot to think about.

[Adventine 3,187]

@top_secret that was also the experience of my Filipina friend who returned to the PH in August after several months in the US. She was quarantined in Seda Vertis North (PHP 5,000/night), until the result of her PCR test came out (PHP 4,500). She was quarantined for 2 days, then was allowed to go home.

 

If the system stays as efficient as that, I can live with the travel restrictions too. But I'd rather wait and see how it plays out and if travellers don't swamp NAIA all at once.

 

[Adventine 3,187]

Idiots all over the world, in all shapes and sizes

 

People are sick and tired of all the restrictions. I'm waiting to see how it plays out - if the majority of those wanting to travel actually decide to do it, or if they want to stay home longer.

[Adventine 3,187]

Aaaaand a COVID test is no longer required for outbound travellers

 

Time to book that holiday!

[Cody&Razely 134]

54 minutes ago, Adventine said:

Aaaaand a COVID test is no longer required for outbound travelers

 

Time to book that holiday!

and neither is an inbound test required for costa rica as of Oct. 26th and on Nov. 1st will be open to all nations as it was Pre-Covid Panic er sorry I mean "pandemic" darn auto correct  lol

[Adventine 3,187]

25 minutes ago, Cody&Razely said:

and neither is an inbound test required for costa rica as of Oct. 26th and on Nov. 1st will be open to all nations as it was Pre-Covid Panic er sorry I mean "pandemic" darn auto correct  lol

Hey, I don't want to get sick, and it is definitely a serious disease. But this hardline, inconsistent, months-long lockdown was the wrong solution. 

[Cody&Razely 134]

10 hours ago, Adventine said:

Hey, I don't want to get sick, and it is definitely a serious disease. But this hardline, inconsistent, months-long lockdown was the wrong solution. 

Well no need to do anything you are not willing to do then....

[NoMansLand2020 298]

10 hours ago, Adventine said:

Hey, I don't want to get sick, and it is definitely a serious disease. But this hardline, inconsistent, months-long lockdown was the wrong solution. 

It's not that serious. The CDC estimates survival rate is 97% - 99.5%. 

[NoMansLand2020 298]

11 hours ago, Cody&Razely said:

and neither is an inbound test required for costa rica as of Oct. 26th and on Nov. 1st will be open to all nations as it was Pre-Covid Panic er sorry I mean "pandemic" darn auto correct  lol

Philippines will still require those leaving to be quarantined for 14 days when they come back. Those facilities are upwards of 100 USD per day 

[Cody&Razely 134]

2 minutes ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

Philippines will still require those leaving to be quarantined for 14 days when they come back. Those facilities are upwards of 100 USD per day 

Correct

 

[top_secret 2,071]

13 minutes ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

Philippines will still require those leaving to be quarantined for 14 days when they come back. Those facilities are upwards of 100 USD per day 

 

Not correct.  We actually did this in August.  PCR test was P4500 (~$90), she stayed at approved quarantine hotel "GoHotels", which was P1800 (~$36) a night.  Test results were delivered within 24 hours but since it was an evening arrival and the test results arrived the next evening she stayed a second night in the quarantine hotel.  With negative test result she was free to go home with instructions to self-quarantine until it was 2 weeks from arrival but no actual enforcement or monitoring of self quarantine, though she did comply with that.  She lives elsewhere in Luzon and a family friend was able to drive to and from Manila to get her home with no issues at all.  Getting back home in some other provinces might be a much larger issue.