Seeking to protect the Philippines from a new variant of
COVID-19, Philippines authorities announced that they have suspended crew
changes for two weeks for foreign nationals from certain countries, while also
tightening the restrictions for Filipinos and travelers from the United States.
First identified in the UK in December and now being seen in other countries,
scientists believe the new strain of the virus is far more transmissible than
earlier strains but no more severe or deadly.
With countries around the world scrambling to set new
protocols seeking to contain the virus, the Philippines Port Authority released
its new guidelines for conducting crew changes during the first two weeks of
January. The guidelines cover a total of 21 countries ranging from Australia,
Canada, the United States, most of Europe, South Africa, and parts of Asia
including South Korea and Singapore.
Foreign seafarers who have been in any of the listed
countries in the 14 days preceding their arrival in the Philippines are
restricted from entering the country. Foreign seafarers coming via the United
States are still permitted to enter the country only at Manila and must go into
a 14-day quarantine at one of the facilities designated by the authorities. The
quarantine is required regardless of a negative result from a PRC test.
Filipino seafarers returning to the country are facing
similar restrictions if they have been in any of the listed countries in the
past 14 days. They too can only return to Manila and will also be required to
undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated facility. Again, this is regardless
of if they have a negative result from a PRC test.
Seafarers regardless of nationality that have not been to
any of the listed countries in the past 14-days can continue to enter the
Philippines. They will still have to follow the Philippines' current health
protocols that require testing and restricted movements.
The Philippines’ actions came as other countries have also
tightened restrictions in recent days. After news of the new strain of the
virus was first released most shipping across the English Channel was briefly
suspended. Last weekend, Singapore announced that it was increasing enforcement
of its protocols after news of that a class surveyor and a harbor pilot tested
positive for the disease and likely transmitted it to family members.
The Philippines had increased its restrictions and
enforcement efforts in the fall of 2020 in the face of increasing criticism
linking outbreaks of the virus aboard ships to crew changes conducted in the
Philippines. Quarantine hotels and crew change hubs were set up at ports,
including Manila, Port Capinpin in Orion, Bataan, Batangas Port, and Sasa Wharf
in Davao, the Port of Cebu, and Subic.
The current suspensions of crew changes are until January
15, 2021. The Philippine Ports Authority, however, warned that it could be
extended and that additional countries might also be added to the restrictions.