Pre-departure COVID tests are waived starting May 30 for inbound Filipinos and international tourists arriving in the Philippines provided they have booster shots, the Department of Tourism said Friday.
The tourists must be at least 18 years old and have received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and at least one booster shot to be exempted from presenting a negative RT-PCR test requirement, the DOT said.
READ: 'Hot Vax Summer' is for Travel, Dating and Fun, We Asked Gen Z for This Guide
These people are also exempted from the pre-departure COVID test requirement:
- Those aged 12 to 17 who are "fully vaccinated" or received their primary COVID-19 doses
- Those aged below 12, regardless of their vaccination status, traveling with fully vaccinated or boostered parents or guardians
They are also asked to provide any of these proofs of vaccination:
- WHO International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis
- VaxCertPH
- National or state manual/digital vaccination certificate of the country or foreign government
- Other proof of vaccination permitted by the IATF
Travelers who fail to meet the requirements for exemption should present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 40 hours, or a remotely supervised or laboratory-based rapid antigen negative test result taken within 24 hours before leaving for the Philippines.
Travel insurance is also no longer required but still highly encouraged for arriving passengers, it said.
MORE ON TRAVEL:
GUIDE: Where to Travel for Your Last-Minute Vacation
GUIDE: How to Live the Life You Put on Hold for Two Years