Philippines

Smart Communications Inc. has expanded its 5G roaming coverage for tourists visiting the Philippines, in partnership with 84 roaming partners in 51 countries. Smart’s 5G data traffic grew by 65% QoQ in Q1 as the number of unique 5G devices on the network grew 35% to over 1.58 million

The regional wage boards have approved wage increases of 33 PHP for Metro Manila, 55 PHP and 110 PHP for Western Visayas. The wage increases are expected to protect around 214,836 minimum wage earners in private establishments in the region. The Western Visayas wage board also approved a 500 PHP wage increase for domestic workers, bringing their new minimum monthly wage to 4,500 PHP. The increase is expected to benefit 160,795 domestic workers

The Inter-Agency Task Force supports the implementation of face-to-face classes in all public and private schools for basic education. Vaccination will not be mandatory for attending in-person classes

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported an 8.3% GDP growth in Q1 2022, the highest since it grew 12% in Q4 1988. Unionbank forecasts the full-year GDP growth to only reach 5.8% in 2022, and up to 6% if the situation improves. Bank of the Philippine Islands estimates a growth of 6%-7.3%, with a high-end of 7%-9%

ForwardKeys data has shown that travel to the Philippines increased at the end of Ramadan period. Flight bookings from the Middle East to the Philippines increased 155% YoY, although it is still 21% below 2019’s levels. The Philippines is ranked 6th among the top destinations for Middle Eastern travellers during the period

The Philippines look to the Middle Eastern and India in the search for new source markets. Tourism Promotion Board Philippines noted that the Middle East is a “very, very important market for the future” and that Philippine tour operators were developing halal itineraries and other programmes aimed at Muslim visitors from the region during the pandemic. Meanwhile, India is ranked 11th in recent rankings of Philippines’ top source markets, even without direct flights

Marcos Jr. vows to tackle the economic crisis caused by the pandemic following his win in the presidential election

Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) of the Department of Tourism (DOT) hopes that recent amendments to the Foreign Investment Act (FIA), which allows foreigners to establish and own domestic enterprises in the Philippines for the first time, could generate the “much-needed funds” from foreign investors. The act previously limited foreigners to 40% of businesses ownership. TIEZA has had to discontinue all of its projects due to lack of funds, which mainly came from outbound passenger travel tax. TIEZA is expected to hit $19 million USD in travel tax collection by year-end if there aren't any more lockdowns. Its tax collection hit $2.5 million USD in Apr since Philippines reopened international borders in Feb

DOT in Central Visayas (DOT-7) has partnered with Cebu’s canyoneering industry to launch the “Care for Cebu’s Canyons” programme. The programme has provided 1,500 reusable water bottles to the local government and tourism stakeholders of Badian and Alegria in a campaign against single-use plastic in canyoneering sites in the municipalities

Provisional results showed that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vice presidential running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio led the election with a large margin of victory. Marcos garnered 58.9% of the total votes cast over Leni Robredo’s 28.1%. Duterte-Carpio gained 61.2% over second-place Kiko Pangilinan’s 18%

Demonstrations were held in Manila following reports of alleged “electoral mishaps” during the presidential election, which saw Marcos Jr. winning by a landslide

Tourism Congress of the Philippines urged tourism development in Philippine cities, adding that cities need to focus on developing cultural, historical and culinary aspects to make the cities more attractive to tourists. He took an example of Iloilo City which has become a leading MICE destination in the country. He noted that travellers are looking for tours with more experience, tours with active and tactile activities, tours that show Philippine culture and history in depth, culinary experiences and open-space destinations with fewer people. He said that sustainable practices are needed to tackle the increase in tourists, adding that the Philippines needs to develop more destinations and gateways, have close government-private partnerships, appropriate budgets for the DOT and create a tourism calamity fund in case of another pandemic-like event, as well as drive investments for tourism infrastructure. He predicts 1-1.3 million total arrivals by year-end

DOT Cordillera Administrative Region urged tourists to try “circuit tourism” that covers different provinces and cities and features tourism products focusing on food, culture, and nature

Palawan’s National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to stop the resort operations of Ten Knots Philippines Inc. (TKPI), a unit of Ayala Land, in El Nido, after NCIP-Palawan secured a cease and desist order for the disputed land claimed by the Tagbanua Tandulanen tribes. The cease and desist was issued to Ten Knots on 7 Mar but was only served on 5 May

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the unemployment rate stood at 5.8% in Mar, lower than the 6.4% in Feb 2022 and 7.1% in Mar 2021. About 2.87 million individuals were unemployed in Mar, down from 3.13 million in Feb and 3.4 million in Mar 2021. Underemployment stood at 15.8% in Mar, equivalent to 7.42 million, up from 14% or 6.38 million in Feb. Visible underemployment stood at 10.2% in Mar, up from the 9.2% in Feb

Newly refurbished historic Mount Data Hotel in Mountain Province reopened on 5 May, aiming to promote tourism in the Cordillera region. The hotel would also be a part of a “farm tourism circuit connecting Benguet with Mountain Province”

The DOT aims to boost Philippines’ medical tourism, stating that the Philippines is “an attractive destination for medical tourism” due to its world-class hospitals, skilled medical professionals, and the “Filipino brand of hospitality”. It also plans to develop the “gold standard” in health and safety for MICE events and tourism activities

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that inflation reached an average of 4.9% in Apr, the highest since 5.2% in Dec 2018. Inflation reached 4.1% in Mar 2022 and 4% in Apr 2021

DOT-7 held a 2-day disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) training for 80 individuals from at least 40 tourism establishments and individual tourism service suppliers in the Central Visayas region, following recent calamities that affected the region

President Duterte has declared 9 May, Election Day, a special non-working holiday “to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote”

Philippines presidential candidates step up campaigns in the final week ahead of the 9 May election

The Department of Foreign Affairs has added a consular office in Cagayan De Oro City. along with 3 passport renewal sites at malls in Bacolod, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro cities, bringing the total of Temporary Off-site Passport Services nationwide to 20, fulfilling DFA Secretary of Foreign Affairs’ goal to open 20 TOPS nationwide. All of the TOPS combined provide 10,000 appointments daily

Thousands of overseas Filipino workers in the UAE came to the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to renew their Overseas Employees Certificate (OEC) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) membership. A Labour Attache said that the sudden increase in OEC renewal applications might be caused by the Filipinos’ desire to return home as Philippines relaxes border measures. OFWs were reminded that they can also renew their OECs and OWWA memberships in the Philippines, and not only in the UAE

Tourism and hospitality players reported that tourists now tend to splurge on their vacations. The Philippine Tour Operators Association stated that the “revenge tourism” was really apparent during the Holy Week, noting that there were still takers even when accommodation prices and airfares were very high. Bluewater Resorts reported that bookings have been consistent even after the Holy Week, adding that the summer months normally have high occupancies, not only for leisure travellers but also for MICE and social events. The Tourism Promotions Board reported that the Philippines have been receiving high interest from new markets like Russia, South America, Australia, and New Zealand

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that 3.17 million out of the 47.7 million economically active Filipinos 15 years old and older were considered jobless at end-2021, with the unemployment rate reaching 7.8%

The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force to wrap up rehabilitation in Boracay, and is preparing to turn over the management of the island to the local government unit (LGU) of Malay, Aklan. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) also reported the successful rehabilitation of the Boracay wetlands

Palawan Governor assured the public that the health-care system in the province is adequate and ready to serve locals and tourists. Palawan aims to attract more tourists as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases plans to ease community restrictions in more areas

The Asian Development Bank stated that countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam will still face challenges in tourism recovery even as borders reopen and restrictions are eased, as most are largely dependent on Chinese tourists that still have tight border restrictions. ADB warned that slow tourism recovery may have long-term impacts such as business closures, delayed investment, and hinder investment in human capital

Police in Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City noted an increase of local tourists on 3 May, following the easing of restrictions that allows fiesta activities on the island for the first time since the pandemic started

The DOT has launched the Colors of Mindanao campaign to promote the region’s tourism products, including dive tourism, beach tourism, ecotourism, farm tourism, culture and heritage tourism, adventure and sports tourism, food tourism, and faith tourism. The campaign will also highlight halal and Muslim-friendly tourism. The Mindanao Development Authority said the campaign is part of joint tourism initiatives under the BIMP-EAGA sub-regional group that includes Brunei, parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines

Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force reported that the government-set tourist carrying capacity for the island will remain unchanged at 19,215 tourists at any given time, but the numbers will be reviewed next year. Boracay Island welcomed a 2-year high of 186,751 arrivals in Apr, with an average 6,225 daily arrivals, exceeding the previous high of 150,597 in Jan. Tourist arrivals peaked during the Holy Week, with 10,921 arrivals on 14 Apr and 11,140 on 15 Apr

5 more areas have been placed under Alert Level 1 until 15 May: Nueva Vizcaya and Misamis Occidental Provinces, Talisay City in Cebu, Antipas in North Cotabato and Banga in South Cotabato

OCTA Research reported that new cases in Metro Manila in 24-30 Apr increased by 7% WoW from 79 to 85 daily cases. Metro Manila accounted for 52% of the 240 new cases recorded nationwide on 30 Apr

President Duterte has declared 3 May as a holiday in observance of Eid al-Fitr

Tourism receipts from inbound tourists in the Philippines is estimated to have reached $488.2 million USD from 10 Feb-26 Apr, 188.2% higher than receipts for the whole of 2021, but 80.5% lower than pre-pandemic levels

The Philippines welcomed 325,328 international arrivals from 10 Feb-26 Apr, comprising 131,534 Balikbayans and 193,794 foreigners. The US topped the list of the number of foreign arrivals at 67,312, followed by Canada at 15,527, South Korean at 14,901, Australia at 14,684, the UK at 13,826, Japan at 7,590, Vietnam at 7,060, Germany at 5,965, Singapore at 3,866, and Malaysians at 3,433

The Antique Association of Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Owners Inc., reported that the number of tourists to the region is around 50% of pre-pandemic levels

Catanduanes Tourism Office stated that the declaration of the province as the “abaca capital” of the Philippines is a “very timely gift” as the tourism industry gradually recovers from the pandemic. The tourism office expects 500-700 tourist arrivals with long stays. The province will hold the 6th Abaca Festival on 24-28 May

A new bridge connecting Cebu City with Cordova town on Mactan Island has opened, after 4 years of construction

The Philippines’ unemployment rate in Dec 2021 dropped to 11 million, around 24.7%, according to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, but adult joblessness increased

The Aklan provincial government will limit the number of tourists visiting Boracay once it has reached its capacity, by stopping issuing QR codes. However, a date is still not set to implement the cap. The provincial government noted that “technically” Boracay didn’t exceed its capacity as the data on arrivals excluded those who had left the island, and the average arrivals daily was 6,000. It has agreed to synchronise its data with the municipal government

57.77% of the Philippines will be under Alert Level 1 from 1-15 May. The National Capital Region (NCR) will stay under the level, as will Baguio City, Aklan, Davao City, Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City, amongst others

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) forecasts 1.1 million -1.3 million international tourist arrivals in 2022. It has seen the report of some long-haul markets like Europe and North America return. The TCP sees Siquijor as the next big tourism destination in 5 years’ time

The DOT has reported that international arrivals to the Philippines since reopening on 10 Feb-25 Apr reached 319,047 international arrivals, with 40.5% of them balikbayans and 59.6% international travellers. The majority of these are from the US, Canada and South Korea

Negros Occidental is optimistic about the increasing number of visitors to the province, and the governor has noted that resorts are reporting occupancy levels close to pre-pandemic

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) has called 2022 a “breakthrough” year for the tourism industry. It reported that resorts are being “filled up” on weekends and public holidays, and that occupancy is returning to normality over the summer season for resorts and some city hotels. It is optimistic that Jul and Aug will see more international tourists, with chartered flights from North Asia to Boracay, Cebu and Bohol. It also reported that the MICE market make up the majority of hotel bookings in Bohol, from insurance companies, LGUs and those who postponed their conventions

The DOT and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) launched a new campaign to promote domestic tourism, “Go where your mind’s been wandering”, showcasing 10 tourist destinations

The writer and director of Crazy Rich Asians are interested in filming in Palawan

The Philippines has signed an agreement with Japan for a 30 billion yen loan to support its COVID recovery efforts

The DOT’s UK office held a MEGA European Familiarisation Tour 2022, with a B2B networking event in Pasay

The department of environment and natural resources (DENR) wants to use a real-time monitoring QR system to monitor the number of arrivals to Boracay Island

The SMX Convention Center Manila’s events are 90% local activations currently, and they are starting to receive enquiries about international events

Lanao del Norte has reopened to tourists once more, coinciding with its famous Hugyaw sa Kadagatan Festival

The DOT has said that it is marketing agrotourism and farm tourism, as more people want to know the origins of their food. The DOT has seen a preference towards this type of tourism, as well as mountain climbing, biking, diving and surfing, as they are all in open areas

The DOT has reported that international arrivals to the Philippines since reopening on 10 Feb-25 Apr reached 313,050 international arrivals. The majority of these are from the US, Canada and South Korea

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Mar 2022 recorded only 631 additional jobless workers from 52 hospitality and tourism businesses, lower than Feb’s 5,139 or Jan’s 5,782

The Palawan governor has said that he wants to copy Malaysia’s Kota Kinabalu tourism economic model to boost the local economy

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and Clark Development Corp. (CDC) held an investment tour of New Clark City and Clark Freeport Zone for tourism leaders from the WTTC

The Philippines wants to attract more tourists in destinations which are promoting “regenerative tourism”, the DOT chief said at the WTTC conference. The conference saw 1,200 attendees in a hybrid format, under the theme “Rediscovering Travel”. The Masungi Georeserve was one of the areas highlighted

Israelis will now be permitted to enter the Philippines without a visa as of 1 Apr

Flight data from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed that flights to Caticlan are still now yet at pre-pandemic levels, and would not have been the cause of the capacity being exceeded. 1,880 flights have been approved vs 2019’s 2,720 flights. The majority are from Manila (992), Cebu (785) and Clark (103)

A report by the WTTC and JLL, “Destination 2030: Global Cities Readiness for Tourism Growth” showed that Manila is in the “Dawning Developers” category, as a city with emerging tourism infrastructure, and amongst the lowest ranked for tourism growth readiness

Business owners on Boracay Island have called for the DOT to reconsider its limits on visitor numbers, with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)-Boracay saying that “massive improvements” have been made since the study in 2018, including wider roads and an improved sewer system

Ilocos Norte saw 14,000 visitors over Holy Week, around 3% of pre-pandemic levels. The long weekend saw 700,000 one-day visitors, whilst accommodation in popular destinations like Oadugpud town and Laoag were fully booked

The DOT has said that studies are required to see if the capacity for tourists on Boracay can be increased, after it was alarmed by crowds reaching over 22,000 during Holy Week when there is a limit of 19,215 pax per day. They reported that even pre-pandemic, this cap was never breached. The Aklan governor was given a warning over the number of visitors, and tasked to ensure that the capacity of the island is strictly enforced

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) does not expect airfares to increase more in May beyond the current level 4, and that the current fuel surcharge level should be maintained. Philippine Airlines still hopes that a next level of fuel surcharges would be approved, as fuel is around 50% of its costs

Baguio expects at least 50,000-60,000 tourists during summer weekends

The WTTC have reported that the contribution of tourism to the Philippine economy in 2021 reached $41 billion USD, +129.5% YoY, and that it supported 7.8 million jobs, +20.5% YoY. It sees the Philippines’ contribution to GDP growing 6.7% over the next 10 years, and that it could contribute $155 billion USD to the economy by 2032, 21.4% of the whole economy, and 21.5% of all jobs in the Philippines

Local officials on Boracay Island have said that there is no clear way to limit tourists to the island: “We cannot just tell resorts to stop accepting tourists. And do we distribute the allowable number of tourists among hotels and resorts? How do we do that?”

DOT Western Visayas officials have noted that they did not expect so many tourists to visit Boracay Island over Holy Week by land, as in previous months, 80-90% arrived by air, where a daily seat capacity is set at 5,000

A report from Travelport’s booking data has shown that Manila is the top destination for interest from international travellers. Q1 2022 reached 42% of its international bookings in Q1 20219, and combined with Thailand, make up to 51% of all international flight bookings into SE Asia. A week after the reopening announcement for the Philippines, international inbound flight bookings increased 114%, and one month after +294%

A congressional action would be required to rename Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport to just Manila International Airport

The Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR) has confirmed that beach resorts are almost returning to pre-pandemic levels, with all rooms taken at major resorts over the Holy Week

The Holy Week saw 324,931 pax in and out of Cebu’s ports, +53% YoY

Baguio will hold the Mangan Taku food crawl and exhibition in the summer. The City Tourism Officer has said that it is possible that the number of visitors to Baguio has already surpassed the number of leisure travellers before March 2020, and over 50,000 travellers had booked accommodation over Holy Week

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) will hold the PTAA 29th Travel Tour Expo & 7th International Travel Trade Expo on 24-26 Jun in Manila. It expects 150 exhibitors and 35,000-45,000 visitors over 3 days

The Koh Phangan Full Moon Party attracted 10,000 tourists on 16 Apr, the first full-scale party since the start of the pandemic

Rajah Tour has reported long-haul tourists visiting the Philippines, including from the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Belgium, whilst Asian markets are “more conservative”. It also reported a “steady stream” of enquires from India

Cagayan de Oro has seen the number of pilgrims to its pilgrimage sites drop by 80% vs 2019 to 4,800, despite restrictions being eased

Only 1,000 visitors came to Bantayan Island for Holy Week, lower than expected due to Tropical Storm Agaton

UnionBank, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV) have partnered to launch a “Biyaheng Digiskarte: Angat Turismo” project, which will give tech-focused training to MSMEs, helping capacity building and digital competencies

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported 14,000+ pax in seaports on 16 Apr from 12am-6am

Fuel prices are expected to be increased from next week, Unioil has reported

Cebu Port Authority recorded 45,383 passengers across Cebu ports on 13 Apr. Part of this large number was also down to passengers stranded due to Tropical Storm Agaton, who were able to travel as warnings were lifted. Bantayan Island is one of the most popular destinations for the Holy Week travel

Metro Manila will stay under Alert Level 1 from 15-30 Apr, as will areas such as Baguio City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Aklan, Cebu City and Davao City

The death toll from Tropical Storm Agaton has reached 58, due to landslides and flooding

The Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) is planning changes to the organisation’s strategy, including raising awareness that it has both inbound and outbound members. It plans to hold a B2B showcase with 50 sellers in Metro Manila, and grow its membership which dropped from 500 to 368 during the pandemic. It also plans to hold its Philippine Travel Mart as an in-person event, with 4 halls from 30 Sep-2 Oct

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in its Asia Travel-Ready Index has noted that Malaysia and Singapore have some of the best conditions for tourism recovery in Asia, whilst the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam received lower scores due to quarantine policies for returning citizens or vaccination rates

Intramuros in Manila is expecting to see an increase of visitors during Holy Week

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) has reported “encouraging” feedback that bookings are growing for its members over Holy Week. The Hotel, Resort & Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc. also stated that Mactan resorts are faring well, with average hotel occupancy of 70%, and the Boracay Foundation noted most hotels and resorts were booked out for the week

Over 50,000 tourists have visited Boracay from 1-9 Apr, with 48k of them domestic travellers, and 984 foreigners. Travellers from Metro Manila accounted for the largest source market

Returning Filipinos will no longer need to fill out the disembarkation cards on arrival at airports in the Philippines, to make entry easier

The United States’ CDC has lowered its travel warning for the Philippines to Level 1

The power supply in a major Palawan tourist destination has been cut after Power Source Philippines did not acquire authority to operate from the Energy Regulatory Commission. Tourism businesses in Port Barton are using solar panels to be able to keep the holiday bookings they had secured for Holy Week

Foreign visitors to the Philippines have now already crossed 2021 levels, reaching 215,831 from 10 Feb-9 Apr. 41% of these were balikbayans, and foreigners counted for 128,322, based on data from the One Health Pass. The US was the top market (36%; 46,558), Canada (0.08%; 10,368), the UK (7.7%; 9,840), Australia (7.23%; 9,285) and South Korea (7.1%; 9,066)

More than 50,000 tourists have booked trips to Baguio during Holy Week, and city officials expect this number to double. It has seen increased number of visits since 1 Mar after its cap on leisure travellers had been lifted, with over 30,000 visitors expected this weekend alone

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has said that it is ready for an influx of travellers over Holy Week, and it expects it to peak beyond 5-8% increase annually expected since the pandemic

The Cebu Association of Tour Operators (CATO) has asked the Archdiocese of Cebu and the DOT for training for tour operators and guides on pilgrimage tours. The DOT noted that the province had “huge potential” as a pilgrimage destination, and had planned to develop it pre-pandemic

The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in Manila expects to serve 100,000-110,000 pax daily during the Holy Week holiday

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) see domestic levels reaching pre-pandemic levels during Holy Week, and reported that it is currently around 80% of pre-pandemic domestic travel. Inbound international flight pax has increased from 1,000-5,000 daily to 10,000-15,000

The DOT is promoting Filipino Food month in Apr across its international offices. The San Francisco office will celebrate Filipino Restaurant Month in Canada, and the Tokyo office will hold a Philippine Food Fair at a 5* hotel there

20 more areas have been placed under Alert Level 1, making a total of 78 provinces and 178 component cities under the lowest lockdown level

The DOT has reported that 202,700 tourist arrivals have been recorded since the reopening to 7 Apr. The US counted for 43,744 visitors, Canada 9,618, the UK 9,315, South Korea 8,440 and Australia 8,212. They noted that “the sustained influx of tourists in the Philippines is a good measure of the industry’s success in its preparations to welcome foreign tourists in the new normal”

Boracay Island this week has seen arrivals reach more than 7,000 per day

3.13 million Filipinos were unemployed in Feb 2022, up from 2.93 million in Jan 2022, with an unemployment rate of 6.4%, whilst underemployment rates were at 14%

The Philippines has approved the use of rapid antigen tests for entry into the Philippines, so long as they are administered by a health professional

New access roads in La Union have been built to improve the convenience of reaching the Tangadan Falls tourist spot

The WHO has warned that COVID-19 cases may rise after the 9 May presidential elections, and has encouraged everyone to get booster shots and continue to wear face masks

51% of Filipinos in a Dec Social Weather Stations survey have said that they believe the Philippine economy will improve in the next 12 months, with a net economic optimism score of +44, classed as “excellent”, and the highest since Sep 2016

The Asian Development Bank has warned that inflation could rise in the Philippines over the next few months, to 4.2%. It maintained its 2022 GDP outlook of 6% . It noted that the negative impact from the Russia-Ukraine war will be offset by the reopening of the economy, which will drive domestic demand higher

The DOT has attributed the fact that many airports, seaports, and roads have been upgraded to improve tourists’ journeys was down to the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program under the Duterte administration. As of Dec 2021, it had completed 236 airport projects

The Asian Development Bank has updated the Philippines’ economic growth forecast to 6.0% in 2022 and 6.3% in 2023

The World Bank has lowered the Philippines’ 2022 GDP growth forecast to 5.7%, down 0.1% from its earlier forecast in Oct, due to “multiple shocks” in the global economy, including the Russia-Ukraine war

Visitors to Boracay Island in Mar grew to 150,597, the highest since the pandemic started. 144,440 of these were domestic visitors, and 1,624 were overseas-based Filipinos. Foreigners accounted for just 1.68% of the total, with the top source markets being the US, UK, UAE, Germany and Canada. Jan 2020 tourism arrivals to the island were 160,070

: Duterte has said that Alert Level 0 isn’t on the cards for now, until overall cases are reduced to almost zero

Sipalay in Negros Occidental has been named the Kite Tourism Capital of the Philippines

Mar’s annual inflation in the Philippines grew to 4.0%, the highest in 6 months, due to increase in energy prices and food items

Only 5,551 South Koreans have arrived into the Philippines since Feb 2022

Badian in Central Visayas has added 2 more jump spots to its Canyoneering Adventure

The Philippines exhibited at the International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) in Tel Aviv, with much interest observed amongst Israeli travellers about the Philippines. The DOT’s marketing rep in Tel Aviv observed that the majority of the questions centred around flight connections and when Philippine Airlines will start direct services

The Regional Director of the DOT for Region VI, including Boracay, has noted that family travel is now a focus for the island, and that people aged 29-50 years old are the most frequent demographic

The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center has reported that the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) is looking for private sector partners and joint ventures to develop tourism enterprise zones (TEZ) in the country, to boost recovery. Clark TIEZA-TEZ is the focus for development

13,523 people arrived into the Philippines on 1 Apr, with 90% via Manila. The majority of these were Filipino, and 30% foreign nationals. March’s average arrivals was 10,000 with peaks of 12,000

The WTTC Global Summit in Manila on 20-22 Apr will focus on “Rediscovering Travel” as its theme

Over 50 Cebu tourism players are offering up to 70% discounts in their I Love Cebu Online Travel Fair, from 1-30 Apr

The National Capital Region (NCR) will remain under Alert Level 1 from 1-15 Apr, and will be joined by over 100 other areas, an increase from the second half of March’s 48 areas. All other areas are under Alert Level 2

The DOT has reassured the public that the Philippines is a safe destination for tourists, and has partnered with LGUs and the Philippine National Police to increase security, after 2 recent deaths on Boracay

Cebu Pacific has launched Piso Protect, a micro insurance, with AXA Philippines

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) will soon launch its first global MICE branding campaign. The TPB plans to have an enhanced MICE Plus program, which will give cash subventions, and it will also boost its marketing spend, set up a MICE Ambassador programme to bid for international events, and update the MICE roadmap 2020-2030

The DOH forecasts that daily cases will stay below 1,000 by the end of Apr, despite more mobility

The Tourism Secretary has told Koreans that the Philippines is ready to welcome them, and that it looks forward to “Korea becoming our top market once again” at an event in South Korea to promote tourism

Tourism in Cebu is not expected to increase through domestic tourism this summer season, according to Mactan-Cebu International Airport

The Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga attracted 40-45,000 tourists in its last weekend, and an estimated 22,000 arrived everyday from 6-25 Mar

Amnesty International has reported that a “lack of accountability continued to facilitate unlawful killings and other human rights violations under the government’s ‘war on drugs campaign”, and that indigenous people and human rights defenders, political activists and politicians were subject to unlawful killing, arrest and harassment

The DOT believes that the loosening of restrictions will boost the Philippines’ standing as an English as a Second Language (ESL) hub, with visitors entering under a special study permit (SSP)

The DOT has said that it is ready for the full reopening for fully vaccinated tourists from 1 Apr

From 1 Apr, fully vaccinated foreign travellers will not need to gain an entry exemption document if they are arriving from visa-required or visa-free countries and plan to stay for more than 30 days in the Philippines

Thousands of people have evacuated their homes after the Taal volcano erupted, with further eruptions possible

Police are investigating the death of 2 tourists found in their hotel room in Boracay

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has advised Russian tourists visiting the Philippines to either use cash, or other credit cards such as Union Pay, to be able to make purchases. The DOT reported that 238 Russian tourists have visited from 10 Feb-22 Mar, with 178 arriving between 1-22 Mar. The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) Chairman confirmed that none of their members had Russian guests who are experiencing difficulties with financial transactions. The DOT in its National Tourism Development Plan of 2016-2022 had seen Russian tourists as an opportunity market, and in 2019 the visitor numbers grew by 20.5%

The Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) will hold a caravan in Bulacan on 27 Mar, to boost local tourism

The Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) will be held from 7-10 Apr at the World Trade Center, the largest motoring event in the Philippines

The DOT has led a delegation to Japan to promote the Philippines to Japanese travel agents, tour operators, tourism organisations and Japanese media from Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. It also launched a program which would allow fully vaccinated Japanese travellers to visit the Philippines and receive a booster shot whilst on holiday, thus avoiding having to quarantine on return to Japan

The DOT Eastern Visayas plans to promote pilgrimage tourism, and expect more people to come to visit the region’s historical sites

ForwardKeys has reported that inbound issued tickets to the Philippines has increased to 48% of pre-pandemic levels

500 Filipino hotel workers are set to travel to Israel in Apr for employment there, ahead of an expected increase in tourists to the country

The SM Hotels and Conventions Corp (SMHCC) have partnered with Singapore Airlines’ Kris+ Lifestyle Rewards App, with exclusive privileges

Cebu will see its first integrated resort, the NUSTAR Resort and Casino, open in Dec 2022 on Kawit Island, owned by Gokongwei Group. It will include 3 hotels, a 2,000 pax convention centre and its own ferry wharf to Mactan Island

The DOT met with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) to discuss the 2-way resumption of air traffic between the Philippines and Japan

Catanduanes province has received enquiries from tourists since the airport reopened in the first week of Mar. It reported that it had lost around 245 million PHP over the last 2 years, with only 56,705 visitors in 2020 and 60,953 in 2021

The SMX Convention Center Clark is set to open in May 2022, and will have a space of more than 4,000sqm

OCTA Research has noted that the Philippines remains at “very low risk” for another surge, and cases had decreased by 22% WoW, with an R-0 of 0.47

The Philippines will allow foreign ownership of airlines, telecommunications and shipping operators, in a move to ease restrictions and make it easier for foreign investment

The Bureau of Immigration is expecting international arrivals to increase to 12,000 daily during the summer season, from its current 10,000 per day levels

Duterte has reaffirmed that Putin is a “personal friend”, but that the Philippines will be neutral, saying that “it’s not our battle to fight”

The archbishop of Cebu has said that he hopes with the return of Lenten activities in Holy Week that Cebu can attract pilgrims and boost the tourism industry

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that unemployment in Jan decreased to 6.4% from Dec 2021’s 6.6%

The Philippines has welcomed 102,031 international arrivals from 10 Feb-16 Mar, with 57,741 of those international tourists and the remaining balikbayans (44,290). The top arriving markets are the US (22,243), Canada (4,852), UK (4,386), South Korea (3,748), Australia (3,387), Vietnam (2,656), Germany (1,976) and Japan (1,752)

4,400 qualified unvaccinated and vaccinated domestic tourists can take advantage of subsidised testing at Clark International Airport under a program which will run until Jun 2022. 575 foreigners or balikbayans will be able to get a 50% discount

The DOT has reminded hotels that guests from different households are permitted to stay in one room in areas under Alert Level 1, 2 and 3, after receiving reports that some hotels insisted differently

Duterte will make a decision on a proposal from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on a 4-day work week, which would help to conserve energy due to rising fuel costs

Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara has suggested that the unspent funds from the Bayanihan 2 act could be used as low-interest loans for tourism MSMEs to kickstart the industry. As of 28 Feb 2022, only 278 million PHP worth of loans for tourism had been approved out of 4 billion PHP allocated, and 524 million PHP were being processed. He also urged the DOT and SBCorp to streamline their acceptance and approval processes

The DOT has reaffirmed that fire dancing is not permitted on Boracay Island, except for when using LED lights, after reports that these were taking place once more

Boracay has reported 179,920 tourist arrivals from Jan-12 Mar 2022, 3X YoY. From 1-12 Mar, Boracay welcomed 56,239 arrivals, 609 of which were international and 462 balikbayans. The majority, 22,170, arrived from the National Capital Region

The Health Secretary has said that the Philippines is likely to stay under Alert Level 1 until the end of Duterte’s presidential term in Jun

No surge in cases has been recorded in Baguio City, despite seeing a high number of tourists. From 1-15 Mar, it has received an average of 8,000-9,000 daily, especially on the weekends

The DOT has reported that the Philippines has welcomed 96,096 international arrivals from 10 Feb-15 Mar, something it said it was “pleasantly surprised” by. The DOT is optimistic that allowing all countries to enter from 1 Apr will give a boost to tourism arrivals further

The Department of Heath has noted that for further easing of safety measures to take place, the whole country must meet vaccination targets, including 70% of the target population being vaccinated, 80% of senior citizens to be vaccinated and healthcare utilisation to be less than 50%

Businesses in Cebu City will be permitted to operate at 100% capacity

The DOH has classified all areas in the Philippines as “low risk”, with areas under Alert Level 2 seeing a decline in cases and an increase in vaccination

Metro Manila will remain under Alert Level 1 from 16-31 Mar, with other areas under Alert Level 1 including Ilocos Norte, Baguio City, Cebu City and Davao City, amongst others

The government sees the Russia-Ukraine war as having a temporary impact on the Philippines’ economy, and believe that the country has a “very strong domestic economy”

Philippine immigration has reminded Filipinos to be aware of the “love scam”, which has started to come back with the opening of the Philippines’ borders to tourists

Baguio City has not had enough time to establish a visitor cap, as they want to hit 15,000-20,000 daily visitors to be able to study the implications and avoid overtourism

Apo Island in Negros Oriental is now reopened to tourism

South Korea had recognised a negative RT-PCR test result from any test centre in the Philippines, in a change from the previous rule that only government-designated testing centres would be accepted

The DOT held a virtual Mimaropa Tourism Appreciation and Recognition Day, to honour those stakeholders who have supported tourism in the region. In 2021, 45 training sessions for the private sector and local tourism officers were conduced, and 703 businesses accredited

The Philippines will permit all fully vaccinated tourists to enter the country from 1 Apr, even if they originate from countries not covered by the visa-free status. Hong Kong and Macau travellers will also be permitted entry for a maximum period of 14 days. The requirement for a test for entry has been downgraded from an RT-PCR test to an antigen test within 24 hours of departure, a move which has been applauded by the DOT, saying that it will help to “sustain the recovery of the tourism sector in the coming months”. The DOT are also keen to welcome more Japanese and Korean travellers, and are set to visit Japan in the coming week

Palaui Island in Santa Ana, Cagayan province, reopened to tourists after being closed since the start of the pandemic. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) carried out a 4.7 million PHP program to boost tourism related facilities and programs

The Health Secretary has noted that the government is in discussions on a potential “Alert Level 0’, which would see the majority of restrictions end. A question the government must face is whether face masks could be removed under this alert level

The DOT has reported that 76,736 international arrivals came from 10 Feb-9 Mar. Of these, foreign tourists were 42,249 (56.4%), whilst balikbayans counted 33,487 (43.6%)

The government will allow colleges and universities in areas under Alert Level 1 to hold face to face classes at 100% capacity

Agoda will partner with Atome in the Philippines to roll out Buy Now Pay Later programs for domestic travel accommodation

Taiwan and the Philippines will mutually recognise one another’s vaccine certificates

The DOT is optimistic that the government will open up the Philippines to all international travellers by Apr, instead of just visa-free countries. From 10 Feb-8 Mar, it has received 73,178 tourist arrivals, which they noted was “surprising”, as they anticipated arrivals would come in Jun

The “Small Business, Big Growth” report has revealed that 77% of surveyed MSMEs in the Philippines have been unable to secure funding at least once in the last 5 years, and 56% have had to ask family and friends for loans

The Small Business Corp. of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expect to see more applications for loans from the tourism sector now that the borders have reopened, and intrazonal travel requirements have largely been removed. It has approved 278 million PHP in loans, and 574 million PHP worth of loans is being processed. It noted that the tourism industry had “lagged behind” other MSME sectors because of the prolonged lockdown, and that the uptake in loans had been “very slow”

Busuanga in Palawan province has reopened to full vaccinated tourists, who do not need to undergo testing. Unvaccinated tourists can enter, but will need an RT-PCR test

Baguio has lifted its cap on daily arriving tourists. It plans to slowly implement 100% capacity, despite being under Alert Level 1

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey has shown that 45% of Filipinos are optimistic that their quality of life will improve in the next 12 months, whilst 42% believed it would stay the same. It created a net personal optimism score of +42, up from Sep 2021’s +26, and the highest since pre-pandemic

Quirino has updated its entry requirements to allow entry for all travellers from 3 Mar

SM Hotels and Conventions (SMHCC) see a change in their business mix coming, from quarantine hotels at 80-90% occupancy at low rates, to lower occupancies, but increased rates. It plans to implement competitive packages and offers to target leisure travellers, and they forecast that by 2024 it could reach 2019 levels once more

Bohol’s Loboc river cruise reopened on 1 Mar, and the cruise operator plans to launch more vessels by the end of Mar

Boracay has seen 434 international travellers in Feb, out of the total 80,882 who visited the island. The ones who did visit came from the US, Germany, UK, Canada and Australia

Subic Bay Freeport held its Ironman 70.3 event, attracting 2,500 tourists to the area

The Bureau of Immigration has reported that the number of daily passengers arriving into the Philippines is on the increase, from around 8,000 daily in the first week of borders reopening to 9,000 daily passengers currently. They expect this number to grow to 10,000-15,000 in the coming months

Siquijor has reopened to fully vaccinated tourists from 1 Mar

The Bureau of Immigration has reported that 211,899 international arrivals were recorded in Feb, up from 150,740 in Jan. 72% of these were balikbayans, whilst the top source markets for foreign visitors was the US (21,383), Canada (4,026) and the UK (3,250)

Aurora province has lifted all travel restrictions, and vaccination certificates will no longer be required for entry to the province

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced that vaccination cards will no longer be needed to enter shopping malls in areas under Alert Level 1, but may still be required to enter those businesses under the 3Cs (closed spaces, crowded areas, and close contact activities)

The Philippines recorded 853 cases on 4 Mar, the lowest daily number in 2022

Duterte believes that the Philippines should “stay neutral” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, although ultimately the country may have to choose a side

The Philippine peso has dropped to its lowest in 2 years, weakening against the USD in light of the war in Ukraine

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s Global Summit in Manila on 20-22 Apr will be held both physically and virtually

The DOT sees a “sustained recovery” in tourism due to the Philippines having the most relaxed entry protocols in Asia which are in a “simple format”. The DOT has high hopes for the WTTC Summit in Apr, saying that they hope it can showcase the Philippines’ offering to the world

The government is planning to complete its “very comprehensive” COVID-19 transition plan to the “new normal”

From 10-28 Feb, 47,715 international visitors entered the Philippines, 45% of which were balikbayans and 55% foreign tourists. Top arriving markets were the US, Canada, UK, South Korea, Australia, Vietnam and Germany

Sea vessels for tourism-related activities will now be allowed to operate at full capacity in Cebu province

The Health Secretary announced that it will report COVID-19 information weekly, instead of daily, from 7 Mar, as they have seen that even higher surges of cases have led to fewer critical cases

Alliance Global will inject 7.8 billion PHP into its hotel and gambling division, Travellers International Hotel Group Inc, which operates Resorts World Manila. They noted that this would allow it to “keep current with its obligations and catch the window of business recovery with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions”

The Trade Secretary has estimated that the downgrading of restrictions in Metro Manila to Alert Level 1 could generate 500,000 jobs, as businesses looked to rehire workers to meet demand

The Philippines has changed its policy on close contacts of those with positive cases, and asymptomatic fully vaccinated individuals are no longer required to quarantine in areas under Alert Level 1

Baguio has lifted its limit on daily tourist entries, and is considering putting a 20,000 daily cap for leisure travellers. However, the mayor said that a full reopening would not be rushed, and health regulations would not be dropped

The first Swissotel in the Philippines has opened in Clark from 1 Mar, a move that the DOT has heralded as signalling that the Philippines is a “viable site for tourism investments”. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data from Jan-Nov 2021 showed that net foreign direct investment into accommodation and food services jumped 38% YoY. Accor is planning to expand its portfolio in the Philippines from 8 hotels to 23 hotels by 2025

As part of Alert Level 1 (AL1), tourism businesses will be able to operate at full capacity. Mask wearing will still continue to be required under AL1, and those over 18 years old will still need proof of full vaccination to be able to dine indoors, stay at hotels, attend MICE or social parties, amongst other activities

The DOT has welcomed the downgrading of the alert level to 1, noting that this will boost tourism, and that interzonal travel will be easier between those places under AL1

Sorsogon is ready to welcome tourists. It will launch the Bulusan Eco-Tourism Centre and Facilities as well as the Bulusan Eco-Adventours at Bulusan Natural Park

Around 180,000 people visited the International Travel Festival (ITF) 2022 in Cebu, something the DOT for the Central Visayas called a “major milestone for tourism”

Metro Manila and 38 other areas will be placed under Alert Level 1, the “new normal” from 1-15 Mar, the most relaxed of the levels. Under Level 1, all economic sectors can be fully operational, with no prohibitions on activities

As part of Alert Level 1, tourism businesses will be able to operate at full capacity

Cebu will remain under Alert Level 2 until 15 Mar

Pescador Island was reopened to the public on 27 Feb, with divers asked to help rehabilitate the coral reefs as they dive

From 1-23 Feb, 53,878 visitors came to Boracay, 242 of which were international visitors. Daily arrivals to the island have been around 3,000 daily

The DOT has launched a new playlist on Spotify, “Sounds More Fun in the Philippines”, with Filipino music

Eastern Visayas has welcomed at least 123 international visitors as of 23 Feb

OCTA Research has said that COVID cases in the National Capital Region could reach the “very low” risk classification in Mar

Local Government Units must now ensure that 80% of its senior citizens and 70% of its eligible population are fully vaccinated before being allowed to transition to Alert Level 1, the most relaxed restriction level

24,826 inbound arrivals have arrived into the Philippines from 10-20 Feb. 13,492 were international travellers, 11,334 balikbayans, with a majority from the US and Canada

The DOT has reported that Intramuros in Manila saw 38,154 visitors in Feb, +132% MoM, and noted that this increase “reflects the optimism and confidence in travel”

Two more countries, Romania and the British Virgin Islands, have their vaccination certificates recognised by the Philippines, bringing to a total of over 60 countries whose certificates are recognised

Metro Manila mayors have recommended that the National Capital Region be placed under Alert Level 1 from 1 Mar

Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Office have noted that they have reopened their whale shark interactions in Donsol town, after being downgraded to Alert Level 2. The region has lost 10 billion PHP in revenue over the last 2 years, and the local DOT believes that it could take 2-3 years for recovery

From 1-20 Feb, 47,582 domestic visitors came to Boracay, and 163 international visitors. 22,000 domestic travellers came from the National Capital Region

The DOT has approached South Korea and Japan to set up “special visitor lanes” for fully vaccinated leisure travellers, similar to the VTL with Singapore

Qantas will reopen its flights from Manila-Sydney on 27 Mar

The Philippines has recognised 8 more countries’ vaccination certificates, including the Maldives and Greece

The top arriving international travellers from 10-19 Feb were the United States (5,516 tourists), Canada (1,366 tourists), United Kingdom (918 tourists), Australia (891 tourists) and South Korea (859 tourists). The DOT Secretary noted that she was pleasantly surprised about the numbers

Lucena City is planning to showcase its twin rivers as a tourist attraction, with a floating restaurant. The city is planning other ways to make the cruise “exciting and memorable”

Ilocos Norte will no longer require tests for fully vaccinated tourists to visit the province

The DOT has disclosed that the financial troubles of Genting Hong Kong has impacted its planned domestic cruise program using the Star Cruises’ MV Superstar Aquarius, scheduled to start 28 Mar. They were planning to sail from Manila to Boracay, Manila-Iloilo-Sicogon-Boracay, Manila-El Nido-Coron, Manila-Subic-Salomague (Ilocos Sur), and Manila-Iloilo-Guimaras. Genting Cruise Lines have requested to postpone the inaugural cruise to a later date. However, the DOT has said that the Philippines is still a planned port of call for other international cruise lines from 2022-2024

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines have reported that they are starting to see international enquiries come in for travel to the Philippines, mainly from FITs

The Philippines has confirmed 1,712 new daily cases, its lowest number so far in 2022

The Department of Transportation has reported that there are no longer any countries on the red list

The Department of Transportation has said that 10,676 foreign travellers entered the Philippines between 10-15 Feb, around a 10% increase. The top arriving source markets were United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Korea into Manila and South Korea, Singapore, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates into Cebu

The Philippines recorded 1,923 new cases on 19 Feb, the lowest daily number since 30 Dec 2021

The DOT Central Visayas estimates that there has been 3.3 billion PHP in damage to tourism sites from Typhoon Odette, with 2.5 billion PHP of that ibn Cebu alone, where 90% of tourist facilities in Cebu City were damaged. 2,367 tourism workers were impacted overall. Cebu City tourism head noted that 50% of its tourism stakeholders are now back in operation, particularly under the Highland Blooms and Ecotourism project. In Lapu-Lapu City, 70-80% of their tourism stakeholders are ready for international travellers, with many larger resorts expecting to reopen fully by Q2 2022

The DOT is highlighting its Muslim friendliness with a campaign, Halal Culinary Heritage Series, showcasing Mindanao

The IATF has approved 15 more countries’ vaccination certificates, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia and Myanmar

The DOT has launched the campaign “Caraga Na” in Caraga, inviting domestic tourists to explore Caraga and promote tourism circuits. The DOT Caraga estimates that the pandemic impacted at least 80% of the local tourism industry

The Philippine National Police is preparing for an increase of arrivals to Boracay, both from domestic and international travellers. The Malay-Boracay Tourism Office reported that Boracay saw 35,799 domestic visitors in Jan 2022, +200.88% YoY, and as of 13 Feb, 26,671 domestic visitors and 20 international visitors in Feb 2022

Badian in Cebu province will reopen 2 of its tourist destinations in Feb, after Typhoon Odette, including Lambug Beach and canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

Cebu province is looking at lifting its curfew of 12am-4am

Mactan-Cebu International Airport will put a daily cap of 1,000 on the number of unvaccinated international tourists who can enter Cebu by 1 Mar. Philippine Airlines will reopen its direct Cebu-Los Angeles flights by Mar

A government medical advisor has stated that face masks could be scrapped by Q4 2022 in open spaces, if 90 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated by then

A Senator has suggested that offering vaccinations to international tourists could boost tourism, with one-shot vaccines such as the Johnson & Johnson, being administered

The government hopes to “close the book” on COVID in Mar, with a new normal being implemented. However, this would depend on vaccination thresholds being reached, as well as more booster doses administered. This new normal would “signal the return, hopefully, to a robust and very healthy growth in our economy that will bring back jobs, investments, and the return to normalcy of our industries such as tourism”

The DOT Central Visayas is planning to promote its outdoor activities at the International Travel Festival 2022 (ITF 2022) from 18-20 Feb. It will also feature Filipino Martial Arts with a demonstration

After a situation where 7 Malaysians flew to the Philippines but were denied entry due to their vaccination certificates not being recognised, the Philippines has claimed that it sent an official request to Malaysia in Sep for a mutual recognition of one another’s vaccination certificates, but Malaysian authorities were slow to respond. The Philippines had reportedly approved the MySejahtera app, and was waiting for recognition of its VaxCertPH, as only international travellers are permitted entry from countries with whom mutual recognition has been granted. The Philippines has now officially recognised the MySejahtera app

The DOT has reported that 9,283 tourists had entered the Philippines as of 10-14 Feb, with 4,209 of them balikbayans, and 5,074 foreign tourists. The top source market is the US (2,227), Canada (661), Australia (404), the UK (344), South Korea (189), Japan (169) and Germany (168)

The Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship has called for the government to ease its pandemic measures ahead of the summer, allowing tourists to more fully participate in economic activities to boost the tourism sector

Baguio is considering implementing a 10 or 20 PHP hotel fee to manage waste generated by tourists during their stay. An environmental fee could also be charged via the Visita app for day tourists

Siargao Island has reopened to tourism, after the devastation from Typhoon Odette. One of the challenges remains telecommunications signals, and relocating residents

The Philippines is now classified as “low risk” for infection once more, the Health Secretary has reported

The IATF has decided to maintain the National Capital Region (NCR) under Alert Level 2 until 28 Feb, whilst 7 areas will be under Alert Level 3 (Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Guimaras, Zamboanga City, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, and South Cotabato). Metro Manila mayors recommended Alert Level 2 be extended

Foreign tourists who test positive for COVID whilst travelling will be permitted to quarantine in their hotel rooms, unless they are in critical condition

Ilocos Norte province is removing the test requirements for fully vaccinated travellers from 14 Feb

The Cebu governor has said that she is open to a dialogue with the DILG about allowing unvaccinated international travellers to enter the province

The Department of Health (DOH) has noted that the government is preparing for a shift to the “new normal”, which they consider to be Alert Level 1. Face masks would still be required, but many capacity limits would be removed, and there would be specific restrictions for high risk areas

Airbnb Philippines has launched its Guest Covid Support Program, which will assist customers who booked but cannot travel due to government mandates. When the host is unable to give a full refund, they will provide a voucher of up to 50% of the cost of the unrefunded reservation part

The DOT is developing new products for Boracay, including a Boracay Food Crawl which features diverse cuisines of the island, and the Boracay Wellness Workation Program for remote workers

Trip.com is launching a Stay 2 Pay 1 campaign in the Philippines for Saturday-Monday bookings

A Q4 2021 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey has shown that 51% of Filipinos believe that the crisis will be over in 2022, and 45% after 2022

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) see child vaccination as essential to boosting the economy and resuming face to face learning

The National Task Force (IATF) has stated that Cebu province’s statement that they would permit unvaccinated foreign leisure travellers from 1 Mar as “immaterial”, as it is a Department of Transportation requirement that international travellers are fully vaccinated to be able to board planes to the country

Boracay has reassured tourists that it is easier to enter the island now, and that the previous difficulty of obtaining a QR code had been resolved, as it is auto-generated. Since the removal of the RT-PCR requirement, an average of 2,000 tourists have entered per day compared to 500 when the test requirement was in place

The Bureau of Immigration saw 8,000 arrivals on the first day of reopening, with around 2,000 of those foreigners. It expects the number to increase in the coming days by 20-30%, reaching 10,000-12,000 by the month-end

The DOT has noted that 10 Feb saw 421 international tourists arrive, and 685 as of 11 Feb. It said it was “shocked because we thought we will only have single digits”

The Philippine Tour Operators Association has announced the 33rd edition of the Philippine Travel Mart from 26 Sep-2 Oct. They are hoping that the 2022 edition will exceed last year’s 200 exhibitors, and they hope to have NTOs including Malaysia, Japan and South Korea

The Philippines will recognise vaccination certificates from Brazil, Israel, South Korea and Timor Leste

The DOT has reported that 76 hotels which used to be quarantine hotels are now operating as normal hotels

Foreign spouses and children of Filipinos will no longer need to provide an Entry Exemption Document to enter

The Philippine Statistics Agency reported that the unemployment rate in Dec grew to 6.6% vs Nov’s 6.5%. It expects that more citizens will return to employment in 2022 after the easing of restrictions in Feb and the opening of international tourism

The government is considering placing Metro Manila under Alert Level 1, with Metro Manila Development Authority stating that the “mayors are ready” for the move. Over 500 schools have started in-person classes, and 6,000 more are being looked at reopening

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) wants to open dialogue with Cebu province to ensure that its travel protocols align with the national ones, after Cebu’s governor announced that they would allow unvaccinated and partially vaccinated international travellers to arrive at Mactan-Cebu International Airport

The DOT has launched 70 domestic tourism circuits, including food, nature and wellness, agrotourism, bike and motorcycle tourism

The DOT and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) have launched Virtual Destination Videos and 360 degree VR Experiential Tours, as part of their SmarTourism campaign

The DOH has set a ceiling cap on self-administered antigen tests of 350 PHP

Fully vaccinated Filipinos and international travellers are exempt from the 5,000 arriving pax limit set by the Department of Transportation

68% of 55,150 quarantine rooms at Metro Manila hotels are still occupied

Iloilo City has stopped its RT-PCR testing requirement for fully vaccinated visitors

The government has said that it will retain its alert level system in its National Action Plan to fight COVID

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) are calling for a government stimulus scheme for 6-12 months to offset their losses as the need for quarantine hotels lessens. It reported that many of its members are experiencing single digit occupancy rates, as they were reliant on quarantine guests

The Philippines is planning its first global MICE campaign, a move welcomed by the local MICE industry. MICE cities such as Manila, Clark, Cebu, Boracay, Bohol and Davao have been identified, and events such as the WTTC’s Global Summit in Manila, will support this

Cebu City’s Tourism Commissioner has said that it is continuing to assess the damage from Typhoon Odette and that tourism players will receive aid

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has reported that the preferred inbound destinations for international traveller enquiries are Boracay, Palawan, Cebu, and Bohol, with the most coming from source markets North America, Europe and the Middle East. It is working on 21-day long programs to target the long-haul markets

Campaigning for the Presidential Election officially started on 8 Feb

The One Boracay Movement, a group of island residents and business owners opposed to the creation of the Boracay Island Development Authority (Bida), have warmly greeted the positions that 3 of the presidential candidates have taken against the bill

The Health Secretary has said that if cases continue to decline, then more restrictions may be eased

The government is looking at the proposal from Metro Manila’s mayors of “no booster card, no entry”, which could increase the uptake of booster shots

The Philippines and Israel are continuing to discuss launching direct flights between the two countries, and the mutual recognition of vaccine certificates

Boracay welcomed 35,799 tourists in Jan, and 325,000 in 2021 in total. Kalibo Airport is gearing up to welcome more tourists, although there are no direct international flights yet

Manila has ranked 41st in the world and 14th in Asia on Gaining Edge’s 2021 Competitive Index on international convention destinations

Boracay Island will permit all international and domestic fully vaccinated tourists to visit without an RT-PCR test. Travellers will need to present their vaccination proof, as well as a proof of hotel or flight booking

Presidential candidates Leni Robredo, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso have said that they would not support the Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA) bill

The government has released more guidelines on international travellers entering the Philippines for business or tourism from 10 Feb. Travellers will need a minimum travel insurance to cover COVID costs coverage of $35,000 USD

The Philippines saw 1.4 million arrivals in 2021, significantly lower than 2020’s 3.6 million. Tourist extension applications also dropped 53% in 2021, and the Tourist Visa Section processed only 111,781 applications

The DOT is working together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and tourist destination local government units (LGUs) to “streamline” confusing travel restrictions for destinations in the country

The former president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) hopes that the reopening of borders will “start travel revival”. He noted that the Good Morning Tourismo consortium has started to receive enquiries from overseas travellers, and that they have seen an increase in the number of passport and visa applications, “a hint that people are getting ready to travel as well”. They expect recovery to come from balikbayans, as well as Southeast Asian travellers

The number of flights from Manila-Bacolod daily will be reduced to 2 per airline, and one Cebu-Bacolod per week per airline, due to them being under Alert Level 3

Agoda data for travel over the Lunar New Year has shown for the Philippines market that: • The top 8 most popular destinations were: Manila, Boracay, Cebu, Tagaytay, Davao City, Baguio, Bohol and Batangas

The Cabinet secretary has said that it is not time yet to remove the alert level system in the Philippines, as vaccination needs to be accelerated in other regions of the country. Instead, the discussion around removing the system should come about when the Philippines is under Alert Level 1, the most relaxed of the restrictions

The United States’ CDC has classified the COVID risk in the Philippines under “Level Four: Very High”, which discourages travel to the Philippines

Rajah Tours believes that the US advisory against travel to the Philippines will have little impact on its travellers. They see it as something tourists will “take into consideration, but it won’t be a deal breaker”. It noted that they have already started to receive enquiries from the US, and have seen a “positive effect” from the announcement so far. They forecast the majority of international arrivals will come during the winter, but 60-70% are confident to travel in Apr, May and Jun

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Boracay has stated that it is “very excited” to the international borders reopening, and they will “work closely” with stakeholders to ensure that the reopening is stable and can restore jobs

The Bureau of Immigration is preparing for incoming international visitors, noting that they have a reserve team of personnel trained up to handle the increase

The DOT has seen its marketing budget cut to 309 million PHP from 2019’s 1 billion PHP. They are “still recalibrating how much we will be alloting for international promotions” after the news of international borders reopening. By Mar, the DOT is planning to launch its “7,461” microsite, with tourism circuit information. However, the budget for the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) remains intact for 2022

Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has noted that it is “quite optimistic” for 2022, with the WTTC summit being held in the Philippines. In 2022, it will also focus on the Clipper Race, halal tourism, health and wellness tourism, and assistance to native weavers

Damage from Typhoon Odette is still visible on Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, with soil erosion evident

Metro Manila and 7 other provinces will be placed under Alert Level 3 from 1-15 Feb, in a loosening of restrictions. Under Alert Level 2, intrazonal and interzonal travel is permitted, dining in at restaurants is permitted at 50% for indoor capacity, 70% for outdoors

The Philippine Star has reported that Philippine Airlines’ President, Gilbert Santa Maria, will be stepping down from his role

The World Trade Center Metro Manila won the MICE Venue Award at the ASEAN 2022 awards

Metro Manila’s “No vaccination, no ride” policy will be lifted from 1 Feb, once the area is under Alert Level 2

The Philippines has been ranked the worst country for COVID resilience out of 53 countries, in a Bloomberg index

Millennial Resorts’ Crusoe Cabins at CaSoBe in Calatagan, Batangas, have received the EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Certification, the first for a resort in the Philippines

The DOT will continue to promote the Philippines as an English as a Second Language (ESL) hub, as well as a multi-faceted education tourism destination. It held a Hybrid Philippine Education Tourism Conference (PETC) from 26-27 Jan, including a virtual B2B networking session

The government has announced that from 10 Feb, fully vaccinated international travellers from visa-free countries will be permitted to enter the Philippines. They will need an RT-PCR test within 48 hours of their departure. 157 countries currently enjoy visa-free access, including South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, the US and Germany. Tourists will not need to quarantine on arrival, but must self-monitor for any symptoms. Children below the age of 18 are exempted from the requirement of full vaccination

The DOT has warmly greeted the announcement of permitting international leisure travellers entry to the Philippines, saying that it will “contribute significantly to job restoration, primarily in tourism-dependent communities, and in the reopening of businesses that have earlier shut down during the pandemic”

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has welcomed the reopening of the Philippines, saying that it “gives hope to finally restart our industry”

The Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship has stated that the move to reopen the borders “aligns with the proposal to adopt a change from a pandemic to an endemic mindset”

From 1 Feb, the Philippines will remove the red, yellow and green list classifications for countries, and instead will base quarantine requirements on travellers’ vaccination status. Those fully vaccinated do not have to undergo quarantine, and can self-monitor themselves for 7 days. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers must undergo a 5-day facility-based quarantine, and then complete a 14-day quarantine at home

Negros Occidental and Bacolod have agreed on harmonised travel poliices, and the province will only require an antigen test from Feb, regardless of vaccination status

Cebu Province will require vaccinated or partially vaccination travellers to undergo a swab test on arrival at the airport

6 more areas will be placed under Alert Level 3, including Palawan, until 15 Feb 2022

The DOT has proposed to reopen the country to vaccinated international travellers, saying that the Philippines is “ready to open because we know Omicron is very mild”. They proposed visa-free Green List countries be permitted to skip quarantine from Feb. They also proposed a shortening of quarantine periods for Yellow List countries to 3 days. The DOT has said that it has “to fight for the reopening because our tourism industry is struggling, there are many without work or are working just part time”

The Department of Health is looking to implement a price cap on self-test antigen kits

The Philippines recorded a 7.7% YoY growth in Q4 2021, giving the country a full-year growth of 5.6%, more than the government’s target of 5.0-5.5%. The growth in Q4 is the highest recorded in 9 years

The DOT has shortened the Berjaya Makati Hotel’s suspension to 2 months from 4 months, but it maintained its decision that it not be allowed to operate as a multi-purpose hotel, with quarantine and staycation guests

Negros Occidental and Bacolod City will hold a discussion to harmonise inbound travel policies. For example, Bacolod City does not require an RT-PCR test for entry, but the province does for Metro Manila travellers

The DOT have noted that the Pharmacy and Drive-Thru vaccination sites scheme from the national government will support its preparations for reopening

The Philippines’ Q3 GDP grew 6.9% YoY, lower than the previously reported 7.1%

A thinktank, USwitch, has ranked the Philippines 5th out of 200 countries which are the most vulnerable to global warming

Colliers Philippines forecasts that tourism recovery in the Philippines will be driven by domestic tourism, and is bullish on revenge travel amongst domestic travellers

The DOT in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has noted a sharp decline in tourist arrivals to Baguio In the past week, with 37,009 travel requests from 10-16 Jan, but just 3,522 arrivals. From 1-16 Jan, it had 241,872 QR code requests for tourists, but just 110,217 arrived

Oslob will reopen its whale watching activities and the Sumilon Island sandbar, after being closed due to Typhoon Odette

The Health Undersecretary has stated that the Philippines seems to have reached the worst of its Omicron outbreak, with cases declining, and an R-0 rate in Metro Manila of 0.5. The country has not seen a spike in severe or critical cases, with less than 10% needing intensive care

The government has been urged to implement saliva testing to boost the testing capacity of the Philippines

Resort owners in Puerto Galera are urging the provincial government to remove its antigen test requirement for vaccinated domestic tourists, as the testing requirement has caused cancellations

The US Embassy in Manila has cancelled non-immigrant visitor visa interview appointments until 18 Feb 2022

Rajah Travel Corp has noted that domestic tourism is “still not as great, but moving”, whilst the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) have commented that LGUs are offering more new products, which are encouraging Filipinos to travel in the country. The HSMA September Online Sale doubled its 2022 sales vs 2021, with top destinations including Metro Manila, Tagaytay, Boracay, Bohol and Cebu

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines expects that the increase of domestic tourists in Q4 2021 will continue into Q1 2022, and that there have been “ongoing efforts to rebuild or rehabilitate key infrastructures and support recovery initiatives” in areas hard hit by Typhoon Odette

The DOH has said that it will look into the Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship’s proposal of easing air travel restrictions

The DOT wants to promote Davao’s diving sites. Davao in general has developed new tourism circuits, including beaches and water activities, eco-adventures with local indigenous communities, agrotourism and Muslim friendly tourism

The Singapore Tourism Board has launched a staycation package in conjunction with Shangri-La The Fort, Singapore Staycation Reimagined, which includes Singaporean cuisine and giveaways

Those Filipinos who have recently recovered from COVID but still have a positive test result on their predeparture test will be permitted entry to the Philippines, subject to certain conditions

The DOT has launched a new project, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) Experience, which will allow YouTube viewers to experience the Philippines’ natural beauty, with immersive sounds

OCTA Research has noted that the number of cases in the NCR is on a “downward trajectory”

The Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship has called on the government to relax quarantine protocols and implement home quarantines and antigen testing instead

The UN has said that Typhoon Odette’s destruction had been “badly underestimated” in first assessments, and the number of people seriously affected was 9 million, with 1.5 million houses damaged or destroyed

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) have delayed the date of their 21st Global Summit in the Philippines from Mar to 20-22 Apr in Manila

Baguio and Ilagan have won an award in the ASEAN Clean Tourist Cities category

The DOT is assessing 71 new tourism circuits in 13 regions. Each is being developed in conjunction with LGUs and tourism stakeholders, including themes like culinary, history, nature, wellness, agrotourism and faith-based tourism. 44 circuits have been approved. In 2022, the DOT are focusing on sustainability, resilience and inclusiveness

The DOT continue to prepare for potential travel bubbles, and are in discussions with fam tours from overseas tour operators including the UK, Taiwan and Korea. The WTTC summit, set to be held in Manila in Mar, will see special lanes for delegate arrivals

Tourist arrivals to Boracay have dropped 89% in Jan, with 2,818 visitors from 9-18 Jan vs 25,242 in the week prior. The average daily arrivals has dropped to 352 last week vs 3,155 in the first week of Jan

The DOT will reopen its free RT-PCR tests scheme for local tourists from 28 Jan, for travel from 31 Jan

The DOT ran an Online Pre-Booking Campaign aimed at South Korean tourists from 5 Nov-4 Dec, in conjunction with 7 travel agents. It saw 3,707 bookings and 8,940 enquiries during the campaign, which they called “a very good indicator”. Packages sold were valid for one year. The DOT’s South Korea office expects Boracay to become more popular with younger travellers once they are able to return

Makati will provide free swab tests for any residents with COVID symptoms

The Eastern Visayas has seen an increase in same day domestic visitors in Q3 2021, with 188,936, +390% YoY. Leyte saw a significant increase, with total volume of 100,153, Eastern Samar 33,325, Samar 13,991, Biliran 8,131 and Southern Leyte 1,014

Quarantine hotels have reassured the public that they will continue to follow health and safety protocols whilst waiting for official guidelines from the DOT and the Bureau of Quarantine now that COVID positive patients are permitted to stay in quarantine hotels, instead of at isolation facilities

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) will get a 1.73 billion PHP budget in 2022, aiming to attract at least 7 million arrivals from the international market. Some of the TPB’s strategies include appointing a marketing representative in Singapore and Malaysia, undertaking a MICE campaign and finance VR experiential tours for domestic destinations. International promotions will see co-branding with popular brands in South Korea, a Welcome Back to the Philippines campaign in China, a social media campaign in Japan, virtual fam tours for the APAC market and attending major travel events

Negros Occidental will keep its policy of requiring an RT-PCR test for entry from travellers

Bulacan resorts are hopeful that they can reopen before the summer season of Mar-May

OCTA Research estimates that Metro Manila’s high infection rate could mean that 1.04-2.44 million people of its 14 million population have been infected as of 13 Jan

Duterte has signed into law measures declaring heritage zones in Cebu and Ilocos Sur. The DOT must now “mmediately prepare the development plan involving the preservation, conservation, restoration, and maintenance of cultural and historical sites and structures for the enhancement and sustainability of tourism”

From 16 Feb, all foreigners entering the Philippines must show proof of being fully vaccinated, except those under 18 years old, diplomats or those with medical exemptions

The DOH has confirmed local transmission of the Omicron variant in Metro Manila

Philippines hit a record daily case high of 39,004 on 15 Jan

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious (IATF) has approved a shorter isolation and quarantine period for aviation workers who have tested positive, or are close contacts. Those fully vaccinated and boosted would need just a 5-day quarantine

The DOH is looking to reduce the prices of RT-PCR tests further

OCTA Research forecast that the daily cases in Metro Manila may be peaking

Manila will ban any physical activities for the Sto Nino festival on 16 Jan

The Department of Health will change its policy, reducing contact tracing but increasing testing, as there was a “very high” probability that households had at least one member testing positive

The Philippines will now permit Filipino travellers to enter the country even from red list countries on commercial flights. They will need to undertake facility based quarantine for 7 days, followed by home quarantine for an additional 7 days if they are fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated travellers from green list countries (which include Indonesia, Japan and Taiwan amongst others) do not need to undergo facility based quarantine, whilst yellow list travellers will need to undertake a 5-day facility quarantine. Infected travellers will also be permitted to stay in hotel quarantine facilities as isolation facilities, rather than being transferred to a separate place

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association has claimed that the government had not consulted them in the change in quarantine policies, allowing quarantine hotels to act as isolation facilities

Metro Manila will stay under Alert Level 3 until 31 Jan. Other areas which will also be under Alert Level 3 include Baguio City, Cebu and Ilocos Sur

From 16 Feb, all foreign travellers will need to have proof of full vaccination to be able to enter the Philippines

Philippines hit a record daily case high of 34,021 on 13 Jan

56% of recent new cases originated from Metro Manila, OCTA Research has said

The cost of damage to Siargao Island from Typhoon Odette is estimated at $391 million USD

Unvaccinated residents of Metro Manila will not be permitted to use public transport, including by land, air and sea

The Philippines’ passport ranked 77th place in the Henley & Partners Passport Index 2022

The World Bank forecasts that the Philippines will have the fastest growth in ASEAN in 2022, at 5.9%

28 more areas in the Philippines will be under Alert Level 3, including Cebu City and Davao City, from 14-31 Jan

A no vaccination, no entry, policy is being implemented strictly in Cebu City

The Health Secretary has noted that the Philippines is at “critical risk”, after seeing a sharp increase in cases

The Department of Health has clarified that the Delta variant is still the prevalent one in the country, and Omicron has accounted for 0.21% so far

The DOT have reported that it rained 30,680 tourism workers in 2021, exceeding its 16,000 target, over 677 training sessions

The Philippines reported 3 days of record highs in daily cases, whilst the positivity rate rose to 46%

The DOT have suspended their free testing for tourists for 10 days, from 17-27 Jan

The Vice President and presidential candidate, Leni Robredo, has set out a tourism policy which would see tourism MSMEs being upgraded, through access to financing. LGUs would also need to develop crisis management plans, with potential safety nets which could be offered

Ilocos Norte reported its highest number of tourist arrivals since the start of the pandemic on 2 Jan, of 2,900

Ilocos Norte have barred unvaccinated tourists from visiting the province, but has said that it has no plans to shut down tourism completely

Metro Manila mayors see “no need” for Metro Manila to be placed under Alert Level 4

The DOH reported 28,707 cases on 9 Jan, the biggest single day number since the start of the pandemic

The Dinagat Islands and resort island of Siargao have seen 9 people die and hundreds ill from diarrhoea after Typhoon Odette in Dec. The water supply “remains irregular”, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned of a "mounting health crisis" in those areas impacted by the typhoon

Typhoon Odette damaged 90% of the tourism facilities in Southern Leyte, the DOT Eastern Visayas has reported. A complete assessment has not yet been finished

The government has said that the implementation of Alert Level 3 in many areas of the Philippines will cost 3 billion PHP per week in losses

The DOH reported 26,458 cases on 8 Jan, the biggest single day number since the start of the pandemic

The Health Secretary has said that there is a probability that Metro Manila will be put under Alert Level 4, the second highest, given the increase in cases

OCTA Research believes that Metro Manila’s positivity rate could now exceed 50%

President Duterte has ordered a limitation of unvaccinated residents’ movement across the country, regardless of which Alert Level the province is

Ilocos Norte will once more either require antigen tests within 24 hours or an RT-PCR test within 60 hours, or an antigen test on arrival at the border, for entrance to the province. Border testing will be free for tourists staying at least 2 nights and all residents

The Department of Health has encouraged employers to implement working from home for their employees to reduce the virus spread

The number of new cases hit 17,220 on 7 Jan. The Department of Health foresees that cases could peak by the month-end. The current positivity rate is at 36.9%

Vaccination cards are required to enter Metro Manila and Bulacan

The Philippines’ unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level since the pandemic began, to 6.5% in Nov, after hitting 17.6% in Apr 2020

South Korea will extend its travel ban on parts of the Philippines (Zamboanga Peninsula, Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi) for 6 months due to prolonged security risks

The DOH reported 21,819 cases on 7 Jan, the biggest single day increase since 18 Sep 2021

The DOH has admitted that test results are being slow to be released due to an increased demand for the tests, as well as the fact that healthcare workers working at the labs are sick

Ilocos Sur will implement a quarantine and require negative test results for those returning from Alert Level 3 and 4 areas, regardless of vaccination status

Cebu Province, Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City have all agreed to have a uniform travel policy across the island

14 more areas will be put under Alert Level 3 from 9-15 Jan, including Baguio City and Lapu-Lapu City

Bontoc, Mountain Province, has banned the entry of people arriving from the National Capital Region and other areas under Alert Level 3

Fully vaccinated travellers to Negros Occidental will need to submit negative RT-PCR results to enter from 9 Jan. The number of flights into the region will also be decreased, with just one Manila-Bacolod flight daily and one Cebu-Bacolod flight per week

The DOT is looking for alternative accommodation for quarantine guests booked at the Berjaya Makati Hotel after it was ordered to close. The hotel is fighting the closure, saying that it without “legal basis”, and that is based on the DOT’s suspension order, which they will appeal

Duterte has threatened that unvaccinated people who disobey a stay-home order will be arrested

Cebu province’s Tourism Office has now estimated the damage from Typhoon Odette to be over 112.04 million PHP, mainly for damaged infrastructure. However, they expect this number to increase, as the assessment has not yet been completed. 212 properties, activities and destinations in Cebu have so far been reported to have had significant damage. The Capitol is negotiating with state-owned banks to provide soft loans for operators to recover and rebuild

The number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in quarantine facilities is reaching “red alert”, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has stated. Some facilities have had delays in the release of tests, but this is now being resolved already

Metro Manila has banned unvaccinated residents from leaving their homes, except for necessary trips

Hotels who violate SOPs for quarantine will not be absolved from legal liability, the government has said

Duterte called for quarantine hotels to each have 2 police officers to ensure enforcement of the rules, whilst the Justice Secretary has noted that hotel management could come up with ways to ensure that guests do not leave without a valid reason. The DOT has stated that it will conduct surprise inspections at quarantine hotels, to ensure guests are still in the rooms

Boracay travellers will need to have an RT-PCR test prior to visiting from 9 Jan. The island in 2021 received 330,622 visitors, close to 2020’s 334,455. In Dec 2021 it received 113,596, a significant increase from Nov’s 67,343. A curfew of 9pm-5am has also been reinstated, and all businesses must scan a tourist’s QR code generated by touristboracay.com on entry

OCTA Research has forecast new cases in the Philippines to hit 20,000 by next week

Hong Kong will implement a 2-week ban on flights from the Philippines from 5 Jan

The Capitol in Cebu is planning to allocate 2 billion PHP to rebuild after Typhoon Odette

The DOH is looking at whether to recommend self-test antigen kits

Baguio will impose an RT-PCR test requirement for visitors to the city. It will also reduce the maximum number of daily visitors from 5,000 to 4,000. Visitors peaked to the city on 26 Dec, with 7,400

The Black Nazarene procession in Manila will be suspended once more, due to the increase in cases

The Philippines has warned inbound travellers undergoing quarantine that they could face fines of up to $1,000 USD or up to 6 months’ imprisonment for violating rules

Cebu City is looking at imposing negative RT-PCR tests for incoming travellers

The Alert Level 3 will be expanded to Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal, in addition to Metro Manila, from 5 Jan

The Philippines has been classified as “high risk” for COVID, with the average daily cases per day up 570% vs the previous week. Health systems utilisation is under 50%

Overseas Filipinos who are not resident in Cebu will be permitted to enter the country via Mactan-Cebu International Airport from 4 Jan

The DOH now assumes local transmission of Omicron, although they do require more definitive evidence

The government estimates that the transition of Metro Manila from Alert Level 2 to 3 could impact 100,000 workers, and 200 million PHP in revenue

The Philippines is “more ready” to fight Omicron after fighting Delta, the DOH has said

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) believes that the reinstatement of Alert Level 3 in Metro Manila will “affect the operational capacity of hotels, particularly for restaurants and social events, which will affect revenue streams”

Baguio has stopped accepting new applications from tourists for visiting the city from 2 Jan, but previous applications will still be honoured

Face to face classes in Metro Manila will be suspended from 3 Jan

Metro Manila will be downgraded to Alert Level 3 from 3-15 Jan, after a high possibility of Omicron transmission. The rest of the country will remain under Alert Level 2. Alert Level 3 means that establishments, including tourist attractions and dine-in, can only operate at 30% of indoor capacity and 50% for outdoor capacity for the fully vaccinated. Interzonal and intrazonal travel will still be permitted

The government is preparing to file charges against a Filipina who allegedly violated quarantine rules on arrival from the US, and was later found to be positive

A Makati hotel, the Berjaya Makati, has apologised for its quarantine breach

Typhoon Odette has caused over 405 deaths so far, with 82 missing and 1,147 injured. More than 530,000 houses were damaged, and one third of those destroyed. In total, it impacted 4.5 million people

The Department of Health has said that there is a “high possibility” of local Omicron transmission already in the Philippines, with 3 more local Omicron cases detected

Cases on 31 Dec hit a 2-month high, with a positivity rate of 10.3%, double the WHO-recommended 5%

The Bohol Tourism Office has estimated that damage to tourism in Loboc alone could hit 23 million PHP. In Iloilo province, San Joaquin has reported 23 resorts have stopped operating, with an initial damage of 16.4 million PHP

The Bureau of Immigration has updated the red list to 6 countries: Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Spain. Foreign nationals returning from these countries will not be permitted entry

93% of Filipinos are optimistic about 2022, a 2pp increase from 2021, according to a Social Weather Stations survey

Damage to Cebu’s tourism industry from Typhoon Odette is estimated to be 20 million PHP as of 28 Dec. More than 100 tourist destinations, operators, accommodation and other tourism industry players

The DOT has warned hotels against selling “absentee quarantine” packages for returning overseas Filipino workers or balikbayans

The Asian Development Bank institute (ADBI) has proposed that the Philippines could benefit from ocean tourism development, as long as uncontrolled development is limited. Coastal and marine tourism makes up a quarter of the blue economy, with $3 billion USD and 900k employees

The Philippines will remain under Alert Level 2 from 1-15 Jan

The Public-Private Partnership Center has seen 5 new projects added to its pipeline, including the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority’s Clark Tourism Enterprise Zone (TEZ). This is aiming to be a premier shopping tourism destination with 3 phases of development

The DOT will draft a rehabilitation and recovery plan for those destinations impacted by Typhoon Odette, including help for affected tourism workers such as cash-for-work/ alternative livelihood programs, and reconstruction of facilities

Granular lockdowns have been put in place in 3 Metro Manila areas, the first since the start of Dec

The AyaLand Hotels and Resorts Corp foresee a “tremendous pent-up demand for leisure travel as early as now”, and believe this will continue in 2022. It sees business travel not picking up as fast, but “eventually” it will. SM Hotels and Conventions Corp has noted that domestic tourism is coming back strong, as is small MICE business. It noted that Nov saw the best revenue in the last 11 months

The DOT’s data has shown that tourism receipts from Apr-Sep 2021 totalled 3.1 billion PHP, an increase of 91.6% YoY. The Tourism Secretary has noted that the “current tourism scenario is looking generally optimistic as we end 2021”. Arrivals in Boracay have grown by 1,151.61% to 173,104 visitors from 13,830 in 2021. The DOT see Filipinos travelling “more consciously” in 2022. In 2022, it will also focus on workations, and high quality experiences, rather than mass tourism

The Philippines has detected its 4th Omicron case, but the Department of Health has said that the detection is not behind the slight increase in cases in general

The Bureau of Immigration has reported that 145,600 pax left the Philippines in Dec, with 117,795 Filipinos departing, 7,776 Americans and 2,908 Indians

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) will investigate claims that its members which act as quarantine hotels accepted COVID-19 positive patients who should be in isolation facilities

The chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means called for a 16.2 billion PHP tourism rehabilitation infrastructure program (TRIP) to support those areas hit by Typhoon Odette. They noted that those areas counted for 14.9 million of 56.7 million tourists in 2019, which could generate a “loss that could hamper recovery of the tourism sector as a whole”

Manila Mayor is hoping to see more tourists, both international and domestic, to view the Manila City Hall’s clock tower once renovations have been completed and the view deck completed

The United Nations is targeting to raise $6.5 million USD for the victims of Typhoon Odette

Duterte has declared a state of calamity in 6 regions hit by Typhoon Odette

Siargao Island has suffered terrible damage after Typhoon Odette, just as domestic tourism was starting to pick up. The island still has no electricity or internet, making it difficult to assess the true damage

600 tourists stranded on Siargao Island have been repatriated after Typhoon Odette

Bauko in Mountain Province has reopened to tourists. Tourists must have a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of arrival

Chroma Hospitality group, who manages many high-end hotels in the Philippines, has said that their properties will need to stay closed beyond the year-end season, due to damage, as well as being used for temporary shelter. They hope to reopen by Easter

National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for Northern Mindanao has stated that the damage caused by Typhoon Odette will seriously impact the country’s economy, with many major tourism centres, such as Cebu, Bohol and Siargao Island badly affected

The Philippines recorded its lowest number of cases in 2021, at 168 on 21 Dec

Mactan-Cebu International Airport will only accept international travellers who are Cebu residents until 3 Jan, in a Cebuano First policy to compensate for the lack of hotel rooms in the province

The Singapore Red Cross has donated $50,000 USD to the Philippines for typhoon relief efforts

Sipalay City, the most popular tourist destination in Negros Occidental, has appealed for help after being ravaged by Typhoon Odette. It has no power supply, and limited mobile connection. Tourists have been told to contact their accommodation prior to departure, as “almost all of the establishments are damaged”

Boracay’s rehabilitation is set to be complete by H1 2022, the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force has reported

The Philippines has detected its 3rd Omicron case

The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) has reported that Typhoon Odette has hit the areas where 30% of its member hotels are located, but it is yet to assess the full extent

Typhoon Odette has killed 31 people, and injured 3

Typhoon Odette has impacted 3 million families with power shortages, mainly in the Visayas and Mindanao

Baguio City has seen daily arrivals of 5,643 on 11 Dec, close to the average 6,000 the city saw pre-pandemic. The City Tourism Officer noted that there are “many fully booked hotels and shops and restaurants with regular number of customers”

Typhoon Odette has killed at least 75 people, in the strongest typhoon to cross the Philippines in 2021

The DOT has launched the Green Corridor Initiative (GCI) to link Calabarzon’s top destinations. 5 routes have been launched initially in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon

The Philippines is running out of quarantine hotels for OFWs

Ilocos Norte’s DOT has launched new bike trials, which it hopes to strengthen domestic tourism. Tour operators must submit plans to the DOT before including the trails in the tour packages. The number of cycling enthusiasts has increased, with an estimated 30,000 in Ilocos Norte alone, compared to 5,000 pre-pandemic

Sagada requires a negative test result and a vaccination card for tourists to be able to enter. Day tours are not permitted, and tourists must stay overnight, and registered on its online portal

Ilocos Norte is developing bird watching tourism at the Paoay Lake Natural Park in Nanguyudan village

Poverty incidence in the Philippines has grown to 23.7% in H1 2021, from 21.1% in H1 2018

The Philippines won the title of the world’s leading dive destination at the World Travel Awards (WTA) for the 3rd consecutive year

The Philippines will stay under Alert Level 2 from 16-31 Dec, although cases are still falling. The government has said that it is not possible to downgrade to Level 1 due to the threat Omicron poses. The Philippines reported its first 2 cases of Omicron on 15 Dec

The Philippines has suspended travel from 8 countries from 16-31 Dec: Andorra, France, Monaco, Northern Mariana Islands, Reunion, San Marino, South Africa and Switzerland, due to the Omicron variant

The Philippine Department of Tourism in Taiwan has expressed hope that there could be a travel bubble between Taiwan and Boracay or Bohol

The government has increased its 2021 GDP forecast to 5-5.5%, up from 4-5%, due to an accelerated vaccine rollout

The DOT has launched a website aimed at balikbayans to rediscover the country, with exclusive discounts of up to 50% until Mar 2022

The 7-day average number of new cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) has dropped to less than 100, the first time since March 2020, according to OCTA Research

The Philippines’ sustainable tourism marketing campaign was praised by the UNWTO as one of the Exceptional Stories of Sustainable Tourism in the 2021 Tourism Video Competition

80,000-100,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are forecast to visit the Philippines in Dec, close to pre-pandemic levels

Portugal has been added to the banned list for entry from 12 Dec

OCTA Research has stated that Metro Manila is now classified as “very low risk”, with some LGUs reporting zero COVID cases

The government will prosecute 8 travellers from South Africa should it be found that they provided incorrect information on contact tracing documents

The Philippine Health and Care Programme launched to develop the country into a “prime medical travel and wellness tourism destination” It will initially focus on Central Luzon, but will then be rolled out to Boracay, Mindanao and other parts of Luzon, both for domestic and international travellers. Those in Manila focus on dental procedures and medical services, with competitive pricing

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) are concerned that there is an increase in the number of workers looking for more work or longer hours, even as the unemployment rate declined to 7.4% in Oct

Pampanga Megalopolis 2017-2040 plan will see it have pockets of development, including an aerotropolis, for which Clark International Airport will play a key role, as well as an ecopolis, which will feature ecotourism activities such as bird watching, trekking and community based tourism

The Philippines will add France to the list of banned countries for entry from 10-15 Dec

The IATF has denied that it has issued a directive requiring onsite workers to be fully vaccinated

An Airbnb survey of Filipino travellers has shown that: • Over 50% plan to travel more frequently to rural destinations that are not currently popular with tourists • Over 80% believe that it is important that their travel creates a positive impact for locals • 75% value using travel as a way to meaningfully connect with communities and culture • Over 70% were more inclined to contribute to the local economy, and will factor this into where they travel and how they spend as they are conscious that communities need to recover their economy • 76% will be more conscious when it comes to familiarizing themselves with what’s important to the communities they’re visiting and how they can make a contribution • Over 60% were willing to build sustainable tourism practices into their holiday plans • 60% plan to take work-cations or work remotely when they can • 62% plan to travel to more domestic destinations, allocating more of their travel budget within the country

Boracay has recorded its highest tourist arrivals since the start of the pandemic in Nov, at 67,343. 34,416 of those were from Metro Manila

The DOT has stated that the department’s focus is now "no longer about visitor numbers" but "sustainability and quality service", and that the tourism industry is "slowly but surely and safely" recovering and its "days of despair are over”

The Philippines is aiming to give 7 million vaccine doses in its 2nd push of vaccinations next week. It hopes to have fully vaccinated 54 million people by the year-end

World Bank has upgraded its 2021 GDP outlook for the Philippines to 5.3%, up from its Sep forecast of 4.3%

The Bureau of Immigration has reported that 85% of international arrivals on 1 Dec were Filipinos, mainly OFWs and Balikbayans. They expect the numbers to gradually increase throughout Dec

2,000 students in Metro Manila restarted their face to face learning at schools under the government’s pilot scheme

AirSwift has restarted its Cebu-El Nido flight with a twice weekly service

The House of Representatives have signed a bill which could require hotels, resorts, tourist buses and inbound international flights to allocate 50% or 25% of its music playtime to Filipino music. The bill is yet to be fully legislated

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) is creating a MICE Ambassadors program. This would see it provide special support for planning to bidding stages, as well as the running of events

The Department of Transport has finished 143 social and tourism port projects which should benefit coastal communities and tourists

Barangay Bajo in Cebu was one of the world’s Best Tourism Villages of 2021, according to the UNWTO

From 1 Jan, Cebu City will implement more restrictions against unvaccinated individuals, with face to face classes, entry to certain places and Christmas carolling restricted to fully vaccinated only

The Philippines will implement stricter testing and quarantine for inbound passengers from 3 Dec. For fully vaccinated travellers coming from non-red list countries, they will need to have a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure, and will need to undergo a 5-day facility quarantine. After that, they must undergo home quarantine until 14 days of arrival. Non vaccinated travellers will need to undergo facility based quarantine for 7 days, and undergo home quarantine until 14 days of arrival

The Philippines’ positivity rate dropped to just 1.7%

Baguio has started to receive an average of 5,000 daily visitors

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) will be held in Mar 2022, with 600 high-level delegates. The DOT hopes that the event will “jumpstart the opening of the tourism industry again”

DOT data has shown that as of 5 Nov, 528 loan applications approved under the CARES for Travel, for 242.83 million PHP, just 3.72% of the 6 billion PHP allocated under the Bayanikhan 2 Act. The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has said that it is encouraging stakeholders to access the funding, and that 70% of tour operators and travel agents “can be considered in distress”. They noted that agents are reluctant to use the funding as they don’t know when the pandemic will end

The DOT has called the tightening of border restrictions a “small hiccup in our plans for fully reopening tourism”

From 1 Dec, businesses will require that employees working their offices and factories be vaccinated, or workers must undergo antigen or RT-PCR tests at their own expense to go to work

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has said that hotels are ready for balikbayans to return over the Christmas period, and that as they have already been running with high occupancy levels for the past few months, they have the processes in place

The Philippines reported its lowest daily case numbers on 1 Dec since Jul 2020, just 425

The Ayala Museum will reopen in Manila after a 2-year renovation. It will also launch a new website and mobile app to support its exhibitions

Metro Manila will stay under Alert Level 2 from 1-15 Dec, alongside all provinces in the Philippines, with the exception of Apayao which is under Alert Level 3

The government will place a country on the “red list” when it detects a local case of Omicron, the government has said. If cases detect imported Omicron cases, then the government will monitor that country’s quarantine and testing protocols

The Philippines has backtracked on its plans to allow the entry of fully vaccinated tourists from the green list to the country from 1 Dec. It has also added 7 European countries to its red list, in addition to the 7 African countries it has banned. These include: Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy

The 2021 Philippine Trust Index (PTI) has reported that trust in the business sector declined to 66%

The Q3 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey has shown that fewer Filipinos consider themselves poor vs Q2, 34% vs 48%

Cordova is preparing for more tourists after the opening of the Cebu-Cordoba Link Expressway in Mar 2022. The town reported a 150% drop in tourism in 2020 YoY, but in 2021 there has been just a 50% drop YoY

Baguio is seeing an increase in visitors, with 15,000 people as of last week, and 10,000-20,000 screening requests through its Visita platform daily. All major Baguio hotels have been booked until Dec

The Philippines has immediately suspended inbound flights from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique until 15 Dec, after fears of the Omicron variant

The GO Philippines Tour 2022, a multi-leg cycling festival, will return in Feb 2022

Around 10% of MSMEs in Metro Manila are still closed, despite restrictions easing

The Bureau of Immigration is expecting to fully implement its advanced passenger information system (APIS) by 2022

The DOT has partnered with Hotelbeds to attract UK travellers to visit the Philippines, under a new campaign, “More fun awaits in the Philippines”

Aklan has improved its entry system to generate QR codes for tourists, with the team being reinforced. They noted that they are receiving 2,000-6,000 emailed applications daily

The DOT’s Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has launched a new campaign aimed at motorbike tourism, kicking it off with a road trip of 250 motorcyclists

The DOT has said that the government will issue guidelines on foreigners entering the country from green list countries, and returning Filipinos from yellow list countries, soon. They hope “by this week”, the guidelines can be approved

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has urged the Department of Transportation to increase the number of accredited medical companies to administer the COVID tests for balikbayans, after complaints of delayed test results. They are seeking for tour operators to be allowed to package testing into their services

The DOT has welcomed the decision to shorten hotel quarantine for balikbayans from Yellow list countries

The DOT has warned Aklan that Boracay could have benefited from more tourists had there not been problems with the QR codes issued by the province. It reported 187,583 tourists from Jan-20 Nov, -41% YoY. From 1-20 Nov, Boracay saw 37,900 tourists, 53.4% of which came from the NCR. They noted that even more tourists are expected over the Christmas period, and the local government should be preparing for the reopening to international markets, too. They also noted that the island should enforce use of the QR code system for contact tracing if they insist that tourists obtain one, as many establishments on the island do not scan the code

The DOH has said that all regions in the Philippines are now minimal-low risk for COVID

Only 12 areas in the Philippines were under Alert Level 3, whilst 108 were under Alert Level 2, 89% of the country

Sagada has announced the launch of its visitor registration portal, signalling that the region may reopen soon. Tourists can pre-register

Cross-border travel between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental is now permitted

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) believes that the Philippines is “actually on the road to recovery”

Cebu province is looking at creating a travel bubble with China, Japan and South Korea, the 3 largest source markets for the province

The DOT announced that the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved “in principle” that fully vaccinated tourists from Green List countries could enter the Philippines. They stated that they “believe it is also time for us to reopen our borders for inbound tourism as a way towards full recovery”. A Special Technical Working Group on Travel has been set up to define the guidelines for final IATF approval. Only those arriving from countries with vaccines accepted by the Philippines will be permitted to enter. They have also proposed that there could be a special arrangement, “vaccinated travel lanes or bubble” for those arriving from yellow list countries

The hotel quarantine duration for fully vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos from yellow countries has been shortened to 3 days from 22 Nov, with an RT-PCR test on the 3rd day. Once they have completed quarantine, they are encouraged to self-monitor for 14 days. There are 44 countries on the Philippines’ green list, including Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and the UAE

Travellers from green list countries do not need to take a swab test on arrival in the Philippines, nor undertake hotel quarantine from 22 Nov. They must only present a negative test result taken prior to arrival, and then self-monitor for 14 days

A new study from the International Labor Organisation (ILO) has shown that employment in the tourism sector in the Philippines declined by 28%, and accounted for almost half of the 1.6 million tourism jobs lost in APAC

Aurora has opened its beaches and attractions to fully vaccinated tourists from other areas in the Philippines

Ilocos Norte will no longer require fully vaccinated tourists from areas Alert Levels 1-3 to present any tests from 1 Dec

The DOT has urged Boracay to simplify its requirements for tourists, which have led to complaints about missed flights due to slow document processing and consumer hotlines going unanswered

The Bureau of Immigration has stated that the country remains closed to tourists, saying that the decision lies with the President and the IATF

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF)has approved the phased resumption of face to face learning for schools

2GO Travel has stated that the Maritime Industry Authority has increased the passenger capacity of ships to 70%, and 95% of its crew are vaccinated

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) held its first physical travel show, the 28th PTAA Travel Tour Expo (TTE) and the 6th PTAA International Travel Trade Expo (ITTE) at the SM Megamall MegaTrade Hall in Mandaluyong City. There were 200 exhibitors, including NTOs such as JNTO, KTO and Tourism Malaysia

The mandatory wearing of a face shield has been removed for those in areas under Alert Level 3 and under

The DOT has confirmed that it is in talks with creating travel bubbles with Vietnam, Japan and South Korea

Guimaras Island will reopen to fully vaccinated domestic tourists from 16 Nov

The MICEConnect 2021 (MICECon) event held in Boracay from 13-15 Nov, generated 2 events with 27 million PHP in revenue, and 9 leads for Dec and 2022

Boracay has clarified that teenagers visiting Boracay must be fully vaccinated, whilst those under 12 who are unvaccinated will be permitted so long as they have an RT-PCR test

Some school children returned for face to face learning in a pilot program, for the first time since the pandemic hit

Camiguin province will no longer require fully vaccinated domestic tourists to be tested

Megaworld Hotels and Resorts are optimistic that they revenue will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Their 2020 revenue was -33% vs pre-pandemic levels, and they are “poised to do even better” in 2021. They forecast “revenge travel” in 2022, and they have succeeded in increasing their revenues by introducing new products, such as al fresco dining

The whole of Cebu province will be under Alert Level 2 until 30 Nov

Metro Manila will be under Alert Level 2 from 15-30 Nov, as will the Western Visayas, Ilocos region and the Davao region, amongst others

The government is urging the public to visit ecotourism destinations in the country, rather than Manila’s dolomite beach

The government is considering implementing a 3-day nonworking holiday from 29 Nov-1 Dec as “National COVID-19 Vaccination Days”, which could allow it to vaccinate more people under its mass vaccine drive

Fully vaccinated visitors will be permitted to enter Fort Santiago from 15-30 Nov for free

The residential adviser for entrepreneurship has proposed introducing “green flights”, which would carry only fully vaccinated travellers, to ease quarantine requirements to just 24 hours

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) forecasts that the tourism industry may recover by summer 2022, but there “must be better risk management in the safe reopening of businesses”

The latest Finder’s Travel Index has shown that 28% of Filipinos in Oct want to travel in the next 3 months, up from Sep’s 22%, the lowest level since the index started in Feb 2021. 20.4% are planning domestic travel, whilst 12.2% are planning international travel

A new hybrid hospitality management company, SMS Hospitality Solutions, has opened up in Manila. It aims to help SMEs to take advantage of OTAs’ full potential

A new government resolution will see government and private sector employers permitted to mandate their employees be vaccinated before working on site

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) opened up more slots for passport applications for Dec and Nov, causing its website to crash due to high traffic. Reportedly the department has a backlog of 30,000 passport applications

The IATF will re-examine its quarantine policies for international travellers, with the possibility of merging the green and yellow lists to reduce quarantine days

The Alert Levels will be implemented nationwide in 4 phases, which should begin no later than end Nov

The DOT has said that Philippines is in talks with South Korea to develop a travel bubble using chartered flights. It is also relying on balikbayans to boost domestic travel by easing quarantine rules

The DOT is calling for an easing of travel restrictions over the Christmas holidays, to make travel more affordable

GDP for Q3 grew 7.1% YoY, primarily driven by household consumption

The Siargao Island Sport and Tourism Complex has been inaugurated

The Bureau of Immigration has said that it is ready should the international borders reopen, and already has plans where it would add manpower

The DOT has said that the Philippines has “shifted to high-value, low-impact, low-density travel that offers more meaningful and immersive experiences between a tourist and the local communities.”

The 6th edition of the Farm Tourism Book for 2021 has been launched, which aims to boost farm tourism in the country

The government has launched a new mobile app, “Trilippines”, aimed at Chinese mainland tourists. It provides information and bookable travel services

Shopping mall hours will be extended in Metro Manila until 11pm from 15 Nov

La Union will accept fully vaccinated tourists with just an antigen test, rather than an RT-PCR test

Children in Metro Manila will now be permitted to leave their homes as Manila downgrades to Alert Level 2. MICE activities, tourist attractions and theme parks will be permitted to take place at 50% capacity indoors and 70% outdoors

Boracay Island received 32,452 arrivals from 1-31 Oct, the highest on the long weekend at the end of Oct. 69% arrived from the NCR, with second place those from Western Visayas and Calabarzon third place. Sep saw just 6,702 visitors

The government has stated that the Philippines will reopen to international tourists “in due time”, and that they will observe other countries’ efforts

19 hotels in General Santos have not been paid by the government for their use as quarantine facilities, and are owed 22 million PHP

The curfew in Metro Manila will be lifted from 4 Nov, as well as the passenger capacity in public utility vehicles increased to 70%

The unemployment rate in Sep hit a new 2021 high of 8.9%

The National Capital Region (NCR) will be downgraded to Alert Level 2 from 5-21 Nov. Bars and theatres will be permitted to operate at 50% capacity indoors and 70% outdoors. From 1 Dec, alert levels will be decided every 15th and 30th of the month, with the exception of escalations which can be done at any time

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority will allow intrazonal and interzonal tourists, regardless of their age, but those arriving from a higher quarantine level must be fully vaccinated

Baguio received 8,247 tourists over the long weekend. Ilocos Sur will accept visitors from 5 Nov, with an antigen test required visitors

Ilocos Norte received its largest pandemic-era daily arrival of visitors, 425, on 30 Oct during the long “Undas” weekend. Over the 4 days, it received 796, around 51% of total arrivals since the province reopened on 24 Sep

The government has said there is a “big possibility” of easing NCR to Alert Level 2 before the holidays

Travellers to Tacloban will no longer need swab tests to enter

From 1 Nov, domestic tourists can obtain free RT-PCR tests from the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), the DOT has announced. 350 applicants daily will be able to obtain the subsidy. The DOT is also looking partner with other hospitals

The number of international arrivals from Jan-Sep declined -72% YoY, with just 893,886 recorded

The Environment Undersecretary for Protected Areas has noted that “ecotourism, one of the lifelines of biodiversity conservation, is struggling to recover”

The number of daily deaths reported has hit record highs of 423 on 30 Oct

The Department of Health has recommended that the requirement for RT-PCR tests for travellers at local tourist places is removed, and instead replaced with “exposure screening”. However, it is at the discretion of the LGUs whether this is implemented

VaxCertPH will now accept digital vaccine certificate requests for domestic travel use

Metro Manila will remain under Alert Level 3 from 1-14 Nov, to avoid a sudden spike in cases

The alert level system for pandemic prevention will be expanded to three more regions. Areas under Level 4 include Aurora, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental and Davao Occidental, whilst those under Level 3 include Baguio City, NCR, Davao City. Areas under Level 2 include Aklan and Cebu City

Visitors to Cebu province will not need a test, so long as they are fully vaccinated

Negros Occidental will remove the requirement for a negative test on arrival from 1 Nov for fully vaccinated travellers. Those unvaccinated will need to undergo an antigen test

Capiz and Aklan provinces have relaxed the requirement for returning vaccinated residents to undergo a swab test

The DOT has said that by Nov, Boracay Island will no longer require fully vaccinated travellers from Metro Manila to undergo RT-PCR testing once the island reaches 100% vaccination for its tourism workers and residents. 95% of tourism workers are currently vaccinated on the island, and 62% of residents are fully vaccinated

The DOT has said that it wants to subsidise all tests for domestic tourists who have round-trip tickets and a booking with a DOT-accredited property, to boost tourism

Tour operators are complaining about quarantine hotels are increasing their rates in Dec, adversely impacting their bookings from balikbayans returning for the Christmas period. The Philippine Hotel Operators Association (PHOA) has stated that this higher rate is due to supply and demand

Fully vaccinated travellers will be permitted to enter Baguio City from 25 Oct, limited to 2,000 visitors. Fully vaccinated visitors do not need to be tested, whilst unvaccinated or partially vaccinated must have a test prior to arrival

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has said that there has been an “uptick in domestic travel, but still a long way to go from where we were pre-pandemic”. However, a potential issue could be whether the VaxCertPH website is up to date

The Philippines’ Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) has launched financial assistance of up to $19,700 USD for MICE groups and exhibitions under its new program, MICE Plus. They will also assist with digital promotions of the event, F&B costs, venue rental, hotel accommodation for international visitors, and a half day tour. For exhibitions, accommodation and half day city tour are also included. The incentives can be applied for physical, virtual and hybrid events. They will also do giveaways for all participants, cultural entertainment and provide F&B for one of the receptions

The DOT has launched its new domestic tourism video campaign, “It’s More Fun with You”

The DOT has said that Bohol has removed the condition for RT-PCR tests for fully vaccinated travellers to visit. Non-vaccinated and partially vaccinated are permitted to visit, but will need an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of arrival

Boracay has launched a new Boracay MICE Alliance, which will target corporate groups. It will hold MICECON 2021 from 26-29 Oct, with 26 buyers on the island. In 2022, the Boracay Convention Center is due to open, which will increase its events capacity by 800 pax

The DOT is looking at opening up specific destinations to international vaccinated tourists, according to the Tourism Congress of the Philippines. Possible destinations include Lapu-Lapu City, Pampanga, Bohol and Metro Manila, which would follow a Phuket Sandbox style arrangement, where travellers would have to stay in that destination for 5 days before being permitted to travel onwards

Camiguin Island is expecting to open on 25 Oct to domestic tourists, in time for its Lanzones Festival

32% of the sales in the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association Inc. (HSMA) September Online Sale (SOS) were for hotels in the Batangas/Cavite-Tagaytay/Laguna, with Boracay at 23%, Manila/Pasay/Paranaque at 14%, Clark/Bataan/Ilocos/ Banaue at 12%, Cebu and Bohol at 9%. The sale generated 29.23 million PHP in hotel vouchers, 2X YoY

The Philippines will recognise US and Canada state vaccination certificates, which will make it easier for balikbayans

Staycations in NCR hotels will be permitted for vaccinated travellers, as will social events and MICE events, something which was warmly greeted by the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA). The Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers Inc. (PACEOS) also said that they hoped a “strong rebound is just around the corner”. Estimates are that MICE operators have lost at least 70% revenue since 2019. 30 staycation hotels have been certified in Metro Manila and those with the Safety Seal will be permitted to operate at 100% capacity. For MICE venues, tourist attractions and amusement parks, they will be able to operate at 30% indoor capacity and 50% outdoor capacity, so long as all workers at the establishments are fully vaccinated

Metro Manila will have its restrictions eased to Level 3 from 16-31 Oct. Intrazonal and interzonal travel will be permitted

The Philippines expects its Q3 2021 GDP to be lower than Q2, but is optimistic that 2021 could see 4-5% growth

Tourism stakeholders such as the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS) and the Philippine Tour Operators Associations (PHILTOA) are calling for one app which could be used across the country for domestic travel, rather than each LGU having their own version. The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has said that the “human touch” remains essential, though, and the challenge is how to add this whilst using digital connectivity

Fully vaccinated travellers from green countries will no longer need to undertake a facility-based quarantine on arrival, so long as they have a negative test within 72 hours, and self-monitor for 14 days. Those from yellow or red countries will need to undergo facility-based quarantine

A shortened curfew will be implemented in Metro Manila of 12am-4am from 13 Oct

Fully vaccinated travellers from green and yellow countries will only need to stay at a facility-based quarantine for 5 days, following which they can undertake home quarantine until their 10th day of arrival. Those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated can undertake a 7 day quarantine at facilities, followed by 7 days of home quarantine

Fully vaccinated travellers from Metro Manila, regardless of age, will now be permitted to travel point-to-point

The indoor capacity of restaurants in Metro Manila under Alert Level 4 has been increased by 10%, so long as clients and staff are fully vaccinated. Gyms will also be able to operate at 20% capacity

Duterte has stated that he will not run for Vice President in the 2022 elections

From 1 Oct, travellers to Cebu Province will no longer need to have an RT-PCR test for entry

Metro Manila will remain under Alert Level 4 until 15 Oct, but with further easing of measures

Caba beach in Allen, Northern Samar, has seen record growth in tourists. In Q4 2020, it welcomed just 154 guests, but by Q2 2021, it had welcomed 14,267 guests

OCTA Research has reported that the rate of transmission in Metro Manila has slowed down to 0.99, from 1.03, stating that the interventions made continue to be “effective” so far. However, the Department of Health has said that it is too early to assess if Metro Manila can be downgraded to General Community Quarantine Alert Level 3

The Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) has developed 32 new travel packages for Luzon, many of which can be reached by land, to avoid complicated domestic air travel arrangements

The DOT has said that it is looking at travel corridors with countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, to set destinations in the Philippines, including operating such schemes with charters. The Philippines is also looking at how the EU COVID certificate and the IATA Travel Pass could fit within these frameworks

184 areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) are under granular lockdown

Bohol has been placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions until 30 Sep, whilst Ilocos Norte is under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) until 30 Sep

A budget of 3.7 billion PHP for the DOT has been approved for 2021

Duterte has announced that the wearing of face shields will no longer be needed outdoors, and only for closed, crowded or close contact situations

The Tourism Promotions Board will host a hybrid event, the Tourism Technology Forum, from 7-8 Oct

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is maintaining its projection of GDP growth of 4.5% in 2021 and 5.5% in 2022, but that recovery “remains fragile”, and that vaccination is the key to restarting the economy

The House of Representatives has approved a bill which would create a corporate body, the Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA), to manage Boracay. It will be a replacement to the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) formed in 2018 to look after the island’s rehabilitation. The BIATF is opposed to BIDA, with concerns of overtourism and overdevelopment

Ilocos Sur has banned leisure travellers until 6 Oct, as many of its towns and cities are under an Enhanced Community Quarantine

Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay have suspended non-essential travel from 23 Sep to 3 Oct

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) has launched a second season of its GPS-TV show, “Go Safe, Go Travel: Walk and Talk With Us”. This guides travellers on the protocols imposed by LGUs, as well as special offers from HSMA members

The 2021 Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) has generated over 69 million PHP in bookings

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit will now be held in the Philippines in Mar 2022, after being postponed from Nov 2021. Around 800 delegates are expected to attend physically, and 30,000 virtually. The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) is hopeful that this can encourage more MICE events, and has been working on a roadmap for MICE for Boracay, to diversify its offerings

The DOT has partnered with TikTok in a campaign, #GandaMoPinas, featuring the Philippines with 9 content creators in different parts of the country

A 2 month pilot of in-person classes for school children has been approved in those areas of low-risk

The DOT has said that is “closely watching” the Phuket Sandbox, and that it feels that vaccinated tourists should benefit from a reduced quarantine period

The Philippine Tour Operators Association (Philtoa) expects domestic tourism to increase by the year-end, and that they are “very optimistic” that it can take off

The Philippine Travel Exchange (Phitex) 2021 is taking place at Subic Freeport from 19-23 Sep, with 122 buyers from 33 countries and 156 sellers. The projected revenue from business deals is 108 million PHP

The Kalibo Bishop has objected to the operation of casinos on Boracay Island, and appealed to Duterte to change his decision

Manny Pacquiao will run for President in the 2022 elections under the PDP-Laban party

4 more countries have been added to the Philippines’ red list from 19-30 Sep: Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Serbia and Slovenia

The VaxCertPH scheme will be rolled out to Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao

960,000 Moderna doses arrived into the Philippines on 18 Sep, with Pfizer and Sinovac doses also expected to land

Metro Manila’s GCQ Alert Level 4 will be reassessed after one week

Baguio City has extended its heightened quarantine restrictions, including the ban on non-essential travel

Trip.com is offering fully vaccinated Filipinos discounts of up to 30% for hotels from now until year-end

398 million PHP of tourism-related investments has been approved for Cotabato City

The DOT has launched a new campaign, More Fun Awaits, which aims to position the Philippines as a top tourist destination once international travel resumes. It will highlight new tourism products and circuits, including bike tours, dive circuits, farm, food, hiking and trekking and outdoor museums. It will also encourage Filipinos to post their own virtual tours on social media

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is forecasting that tourism receipts will drop 80% YoY in 2021, worse than 2020’s -79.5% YoY. Next year they expect that they will grow at an annual rate of 25%, but they will only recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2023

Ilocos Norte has been awarded the Safe Travels WTTC stamp

Baguio will only accept fully vaccinated tourists from 20 Sep

The Cross Cebu 600, a cycling race, will be postponed to 5-7 Nov

Ilocos Norte has reopened its tourism in 18 areas which are under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), but it will still not be able to accept travellers from Metro Manila. The province has lost at least 17.8 billion PHP due to travel restrictions since the start of the pandemic

Indian owned OTA EaseMyTrip has opened wholly-owned subsidiaries in the Philippines and Thailand

The DOT is pushing for staycations to be reopened, as well as lifting traveller age restrictions

Intramuros in Manila will open on 16 Sep, as part of the pilot of granular lockdowns in Metro Manila, where outdoor tourist attractions are permitted to open. However, it will be open only to those aged 18-65 years old. It will also set up an express lane for fully vaccinated visitors

A report from Colliers showed that hotel occupancy in the Philippines increased to 24% in H1 2021 vs 20% in H1 2020. They forecast hotel occupancy to remain below 30% by the end of 2021. A survey showed that Palawan was the top destination for domestic travel (43%), followed by Boracay (36%), Cebu (14%), Davao (3%), Bacolod (2%) and Iloilo (2%)

The Tourism Promotions Board has reopened applications for National Capital Region (NCR) residents to have subsidised RT-PCR test for travel from 16 Sep onwards

The government announced that it has secured enough dose to vaccinate 100 million people by the year-end, with 121.13 million doses ordered by the government as of 12 Sep, 50.12 million via bilateral partners and COVAX and 24.12 million via local governments and the private sector

Duterte has extended the terms of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) which is overseeing the island’s rehabilitation until Jun 2022

The WHO Philippines has cautioned the government in easing virus prevention measures in Metro Manila, as the vaccination rate is “not adequate” to start doing this

Metro Manila will be placed under General Community Quarantine Alert Level 4 from 16 Sep. Now permitted are interzonal and intrazonal travel, outdoor exercise, outdoor dine-in at 30% capacity, indoor dine-in at 10% capacity for those fully vaccinated, amongst others. Travel is not permitted for those above 65 years old, those with comorbidities and pregnant women. Museums, indoor MICE venues, staycations, amusement parks and social events remain banned

The new granular lockdowns will have 5 alert levels, with Alert Level 1 the most lenient, to Alert Level 5, the equivalent of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)

Curfew hours for Metro Manila will be from 10pm-4am from 16 Sep

Leisure point to point travel to and from areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) will be permitted from 16-30 Sep, if the Local Government Unit allows

Bohol will remove the requirement for a 5-day quarantine and a 5th day swab test for travellers, but they will need to present an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure

The DOH is concerned that the VaxCertPH portal will be overwhelmed by requests for their vaccination certificate, even if they are not travelling

Record cases of 26,303 have been reported on 11 Sep

The Philippines reported record daily cases of 22,820 on 9 Sep. They also recorded the highest positivity rate so far of 29.4%, well above the WHO-recommended 5%

The Philippines has imposed a travel ban on 9 countries from 12-18 Sep, including: Azerbaijan, Guadeloupe, Guam, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Saint Lucia and Switzerland. Filipinos returning from these countries via repatriation programs and special commercial flights are still permitted

The state of calamity placed on the Philippines has been extended for one more year, until 12 Sep 2022

The government has released guidelines for its new Alert Level system which may be put into place in Metro Manila from 16-30 Sep. There will be 2 quarantine classifications: Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and General Community Quarantine (GCQ). GCQ will see 4 alert levels, Levels 1-4, Level 4 being the strictest. These alerts would be declared for each city or municipality. There will also be 14-day granular lockdowns by Local Government Units, which could see strict mobility restrictions • Level 1 – would see private businesses permitted at full capacity, movement of people allowed. High risk activities would be permitted so long as they have a safe seal • Levels 2-3 – would see minimal on site working, with some movement of persons permitted. High risk activities would be permitted at 50% or 30%, with an additional 10% if the premises had a safe seal • Level 4 - would see minimal on site working, with limits on movement for those below 18, over 65 years old, with comorbidities or pregnant. No high risk activities would be permitted

The government has asked for understanding from the public on its U-turn on granular lockdowns

The Natives of Boracay and Business Stakeholders Inc. (Nabbsi) has noted that it is “extremely dismayed and disappointed” over the decision to allow casinos on Boracay, and that it would put stress on the island’s capacity

The DOT signed an MoU with the Department of Agriculture, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement to preserve Filipino culinary traditions and support the development of food tourism. They will collaborate under April’s Filipino Food Month

The government is considering implementing “vaccine bubbles”, allowing fully vaccinated residents more freedoms in the National Capital Region

Boracay reopened to tourists from 8 Sep, as Aklan province was downgraded to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) status from 8-30 Sep. Tourists wanting to visit will need to submit a test within 72 hours of their arrival

Sara Duterte has said that she will not be running for President in the 2022 elections

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) have reported that 800,000 Filipinos have lost their jobs since the pandemic started

Sagada is likely not planning to reopen in mid-Sep, after seeing a surge of cases in other provinces

Duterte will run for Vice President in the 2022 elections

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has announced that it is still tweaking its digital vaccination certificate online system, and that it has been challenged by the fact that some local governments do not have the correct equipment to quickly send vaccine recipient data to their database

Cebu province is planning to shorten the quarantine period for vaccinated overseas Filipino workers to 5 days. It has not decided on a start date for the new protocol

The Philippines is planning to open a tourism office in Russia, to help develop the market

Jul’s unemployment numbers fell to 3.07 million, from Apr’s 4.14 million, with an estimated rate of 6.9%, the lowest since Apr 2020

Metro Manila will not be under a granular lockdown from 8 Sep, and instead will remain under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until 15 Sep. The government had previously suggested implementing a pilot system called General Community Quarantine with Alert Levels System, which would be implemented on an area by areas basis

The Hotel Sales and Marketing Association Inc. (HSMA) have reported that hotel losses are at 60-70%. They will launch another September Online Sale (SOS) from 15 Sep-15 Oct, and are hoping to beat last year’s 14 million PHP in sales. HSMA have said that 98% of employees at member hotels are now vaccinated

The VaxCertPH portal has now gone live for Overseas Filipino Workers, as well as Metro Manila and Baguio residents who are to travel overseas. The app and portal will be ready for the general public “at a later time”

The pandemic force has approved Metro Manila being placed under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from 8-30 Sep, with granular lockdowns

Cebu and Mandaue will transition to a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) status from 8-30 Sep, whilst Lapu-Lapu will be under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with Heightened Restrictions, as will Cebu province

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines has said that the tourism industry must develop new destinations to avoid overcrowding in the Philippines, as well as more experiential activities for nature, food and historical sites

Targeted restrictions will be imposed in Metro Manila with a “granular lockdown system” from 8 Sep

Travel agents in the UAE have reported a significant increase in the number of flight bookings and enquiries, after the Philippines removed the UAE from its travel ban list

The Sulu provincial government is seeing an increase in tourism, and will focus on agrotourism as one way to attract tourists

The DOT in Central Visayas is looking at developing more diving destinations in Cebu province. The 2021 Philippine International Dive Expo, which was previously scheduled to be held in Sep/ Oct 2021 will be postponed to Feb 2022

Philippines has lifted an entry ban on 10 countries, including India, the UAE, Malaysia and Indonesia. However, arrivals from these countries must quarantine for 14 days on arrival

The DOT has said that it will not oppose Duterte’s decision to allow casinos on Boracay Island, despite objections from local stakeholders

The DOT has given a grant to Isabela City of 4.4 million PHP, to boost its Tourism Short Courses as Opportunities for People Empowerment (TSCOPE)

The DOT is proposing a 3.52 billion PHP budget for 2022. It plans to boost its product offerings, and explore more green tourism lanes for domestic tourists once the situation has stabilised. It will continue to pursue promoting sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism. As of 26 Aug, it has carried out 352 training courses, with 19,871 participants, as well as developed 44 new tourism circuits

The VaxCertPH portal with its digital vaccination certificates, will soft launch on 6 Sep, with full implementation from Oct

The Philippine Red Cross is now offering cheaper saliva and swab tests from 4 Sep

Baguio has extended its ban on tourists and non-essential travellers from 3-19 Sep

The Department of Health have said that Metro Manila’s daily cases could hit between 16,000-43,000 by 30 Sep

Fully or partially vaccinated people in Cebu City can now dine-in indoors at restaurants, as well as use personal care services such as beauty salons

Over 123,000 pax visited Baguio from Oct- 22 Aug. The city launched a new brand, “Breathe Baguio”

The government has said that it expects to reach herd immunity by Feb 2022, supply permitting

The DOT Eastern Visayas is hesitant to allow the Local Government Units (LGUs) to assume some tourism-related functions in 2022. Tourism officers change every 3 years, and their concern is unqualified candidates who are not knowledgeable in the tourism industry will take over. Tourism policies will be amongst those devolved tasks assigned to LGUs

Siargao has reopened to tourists, but those coming from ECQ and MECQ areas are still not permitted. Tourists need to provide a negative RT-PCR test, even if they are fully vaccinated

The Philippines has exceeded 2 million cases, and more than 70% of hospital beds are occupied

Bohol will reopen its borders from 1 Sep. Inbound travellers will need to present an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of arrival, and must undergo a 5-day quarantine

The DOH has set a price cap for RT-PCR tests

A report from Oxford Economics forecasts that domestic travel in the Philippines will start to recover in early 2022, and will account for over 80% of tourists in 2022

Environmental groups have criticised Duterte’s decision to allow casinos on Boracay, saying that it could trigger superspreader events, and also lead to unsafe levels of human waste

The Philippines reported record daily cases of 22,366 on 30 Aug

Rajah Tours Philippines is against the opening of casinos on Boracay Island, saying that “having casinos may mean the influx of more people on the island which leads to environmental degradation”

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has said that they will soft launch digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates, via the VaxCertPH website and app, in Sep, with Overseas Filipino Workers given priority. It will be limited to Metro Manila residents first

The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) has said that casino operations on Boracay Island will follow existing laws, and follow due diligence

Metro Manila, Laguna, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Bataan, amongst other localities, will stay under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until 7 Sep. Some areas which will be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) include Baguio City, Puerto Princesa and Davao Del Sur. Other areas of the country will be under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) until 7 Sep

The Philippines reported its highest daily cases of 19,441 on 28 Aug

Duterte has stated that he will permit casinos to open on Boracay Island, after previously banning the idea, saying that the government needs money, and this would be a source of revenue

The Philippines is set to complete a study on the feasibility of manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines by Nov

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is accelerating tourism road development projects in South Cotabato province

The Department of Health has warned that new cases have increased by 20% in the previous week, with 10 regions now classified as high-risk

The government is now looking at using more granular lockdowns, instead of placing entire areas under community quarantine classifications

Sagada is trialling reopening its tourist sites with a dry-run, with 30 people visiting from different tourism agencies in the Cordillera region

Around 15.6 million workers in the Philippines have been impacted by the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), with more than half of the country’s economy under the restriction

The Asian Development Bank has reported that the Philippines saw the highest increase in unemployment rate in the APAC region, at 5.2pp, whilst the World Bank has said that “lack of income was the main problem for most people, with many of them citing loss of or limited employment opportunities.”

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have reported that more than 90,000 formal workers were displaced during the 2-week Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region, lower than their previous estimate of 300,000-400,000

Workers at Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) are concerned that they may lose their jobs, after losses were reported

The Boracay Foundation Inc. and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Boracay are urging the Aklan governor to permit Boracay to be classified under a separate quarantine designation, as the tourism industry is “on the verge of complete financial collapse”. They warned that business owners no longer have savings to support staff

The government has said that the recent spike in cases is still in the government’s targets of below 20,000 daily cases

Duterte has agreed to run as Vice President in the 2022 Presidential elections, something which observers say is a backdoor to the presidency

All of Metro Manila’s local government units (LGUs) will continue to function as “tiny bubbles” during the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) period, as will the curfew from 8pm to 4am

The Philippines reported record highs of 18,332 cases on 23 Aug

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has called for more hotels and schools to be used as isolation facilities, as current ones are 70% occupied. Hotels being used as isolation facilities are at 92% occupancy

Sibaltan town in El Nido lost 3.79 billion PHP from cancelled tours and resort bookings. It plans to focus on the town’s heritage village with a 5-year plan, which includes a cultural theatre, faith museum and cultural dance troops

Metro Manila, Laguna and Bataan will be placed under a Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from 21-31 Aug. The utilisation rate of ICU hospital beds in Metro Manila has gone down, which the government has said is “encouraging”

Under the latest Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), dine-in at restaurants is not permitted, nor are religious gatherings or personal care services. Malls are allowed to be opened at 50% capacity, and outdoor exercise is allowed in residents’ neighbourhoods

The Philippines reported a record daily high of 17,231 cases on 20 Aug. Its positivity rate was the highest recorded ever, at 26.1%

Metro Manila will remain under a curfew from 8pm to 4am

A 145-person Dutch TV production will shoot a reality TV series in the Philippines in Sep, likely to be in northern Palawan

Duty Free Philippines Corp, under the DOT, saw a net loss of 379.58 million PHP in 2020

The government has lowered its GDP 2021 forecast from 6-7% to 4-5%, due to the new lockdown in Metro Manila

New cases in the Philippines grew by 41% WoW, OCTA Research has reported

Officials are unsure of how the first case detected with the Lambda variant contracted the virus

An Agoda survey, “Next steps to travel” showed that 7/10 respondents were looking forward to travelling domestically by the year-end, and 1/5 expected unrestricted domestic trips. 1/10 believe that international travel without restrictions could be possible by year-end, with 3/10 believing that it could happen with travel bubbles or corridors. 48% plan to travel with immediate family, 44% plan to travel within the next 4 months, 26% in the first month, and 8% immediately

The DOT has said that it will hold virtual travel fairs to help displaced tourism workers find positions in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry

A Social Weather Station survey has found that 50% believe that the vaccination pace is too slow

The DOH has warned that cases will continue to climb over the coming weeks, with 2-3 weeks before a decline

Domestic passengers arriving at Mactan-Cebu International Airport will once more be required to present a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours or a rapid antigen test within 48 hours

Duterte has proposed a record high budget for 2022 of $99.13 billion USD

Tourists wishing to enter Clark Freeport Zone will now need to be fully vaccinated, and those entering from ECQ areas will need am RT-PCR test within 48 hours of arrival

The DOH has confirmed that the Delta variant has been detected in all but one region of the Philippines

El Nido tourism workers have volunteered to remove crown-of-thorn starfish from coral reefs, which are highly toxic to humans and destructive to reefs

The Philippines has detected its first Lambda variant case

The San Fernando City Mayor has urged residents to support the tourism industry

The DOH has said that there has not been any corruption in its department, after the Commission of Audit raised questions over $1 billion USD in spending

6 Metro Manila Local Government Units (LGUs) have now fully vaccinated more than 50% of their targeted population, and all have achieved more than 50% of their targeted population for the first dose

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has said that the digital portal for issuing a unified COVID-19 vaccination card would be ready within 2 weeks, but it would need the Local Government Units (LGUs) to submit their data in a way that is “complete, accurate and compliant”

The DOT has announced the launch of the 2021 Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX), a hybrid B2B event from 19-23 Sep. Its theme will be safe, smart and sustainable tourism

The DOH has reported that cases in the Philippines increased by 30% in a week, with Metro Manila and NCR Plus seeing a “steep increase”

Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu will remain under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until 31 Aug, whilst Cebu Province will be under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will use government-provided “yellow cards”, whilst a unified vaccine card is being worked on

The Philippines has extended its ban on travellers from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia until 31 Aug

627 Delta variant cases have now been identified

The Philippine government is lobbying foreign governments to accept the vaccination cards of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), after news that Hong Kong was not accepting them as there was no one source for the cards

The government expects a return to pre-pandemic growth levels in 2022, and that the Q2 2021 growth will provide momentum

Cebu province has promised to provide assistance including food and essential items for tourism workers in areas impacted by the MECQ

All travellers arriving into Cebu province will need to show negative RT-PCR or rapid antigen tests

Metro Manila has banned residents from exercising outside of their home during the ECQ period

Manila suspended its overnight vaccination drive on 11 Aug, due to a shortage of supplies

The Philippines’ Q2 GDP grew by 11.8% YoY, ending the country’s recession

The Philippines should receive 148 million additional doses in 2021, with the government “optimistic” that it could vaccinate 70 million Filipinos by end 2021

The DOT Eastern Visayas hosted its first hybrid edition of its Regional Travel Fair organised by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB). From 6-8 Aug with 54 sellers and 85 buyers from across the country

The Philippines’ Q1 GDP growth rate was finalised at -3.9%, an increase from the original estimate of -4.2%

Almost 20% of Philippine hospitals are close to full capacity as cases increase

The Board of Directors of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association Inc. (HSMA) have said that revenues at hotels will drop by an estimated 60% in Aug, as the leisure segment will be “hard hit by the quarantine rules”. They hope to regain business in Q4 2021

The Philippines estimates economic losses from the Metro Manila lockdown could reach 150 billion PHP per week

The DOT has confirmed that the criticism from the Commission on Audit has been dealt with previously