Philippines Travel: COVID-19 Information + Destinations Open for Tourism

Philippine Destinations: Which are Open?

• Abra - Open to residents only 

• Agusan del Norte - Cabadbaran City open to residents only

• Albay (including Legazpi) - Open to residents only 

• Aklan (excluding Boracay) - Open residents and Western Visayas residents only 

• Antique - Open to residents and Western Visayas residents only

• Apayao - Open to residents only

• Baguio - Open to Luzon residents with negative RT-PCR test. Read our Baguio travel guide for the tourist requirements. 

• Baler, Aurora - Open to residents only

• Bataan - Open to domestic tourists from GCQ and MGCQ areas with negative RT-PCR test, confirmed booking, valid ID, health certificate, travel authority, and Get-Pass QR Code. Read the travel requirements here. 

• Batangas - Open to domestic tourists (Anilao diving sites open to tourists from GCQ and MGCQ with negative RT-PCR test result, proof of reservation, valid ID, and medical clearance). Read travel requirements here. 

• Benguet - Open to residents only

• Biliran - Open to residents only 

• Bohol - Open to domestic tourists with negative RT-PCR test. Read our Bohol travel guide for the tourist requirements. 

• Boracay - Open to domestic tourists from GCQ (General Community Quarantine) and MGCQ (Modified General Community Quarantine) locations only. Read our Boracay travel guide for the tourist requirements. 

• Bukidnon - Open to residents with reservation and advance booking

• Cagayan - Open to residents only

• Capiz - Open to residents and Western Visayas residents only

• Cavite - Open to domestic tourists only

• Camarines Norte - Open to residents only 

• Camarines Sur - Open to residents only

• Catanduanes - Open to residents only 

• Cebu Province- Open to residents only except the following:

  • Cebu City - Open to domestic tourists with Authority to Enter (ATE). See Cebu City requirements here.

  • Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan open to domestic tourists with negative RT-PCR test. See Lapu-Lapu City requirements here. 

• Clark Freeport Zone - Open to domestic tourists

• Cotabato City - Open to domestic tourists

• Davao City - Open to residents from Davao region

• Davao de Oro - Open to residents from Davao region

• Davao del Norte - Open to residents from Davao region

• Davao del Sur - Open to residents from Davao region (Mt. Loay open to residents only)

• Davao Oriental - Open to domestic tourists

• Dinagat Islands - Open to residents only 

• Eastern Samar - Open to residents only 

• General Santos City - Open to residents only

• Guimaras - Open to residents only 

• Ilocos Norte (including Laoag) - Open to all residents from Luzon with negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours before entry and pre-registration at ilocosnorte.ph with a valid SafePass QR code. Read our Laoag travel guide for the tourist requirements. 

• Ilocos Sur (including Vigan) - Open to Luzon residents with negative RT-PCR test. Read our Vigan travel guide for the tourist requirements. 

• Iloilo - Open to residents and Western Visayas residents only

• Isabela - Open to residents only 

• La Union - Open to residents from Region 1 only (Urbiztondo Beach Area, in San Juan open to La Union residents only)

• Lanao del Norte - Open to residents with reservation and advance booking

• Leyte - Open to residents only 

• Laguna - Open to domestic tourists only

• Masbate - Open to residents only 

• Misamis Occidental - Open to residents with reservation and advance booking

• Misamis Oriental - Open to residents with reservation and advance booking

• Negros Occidental (including Bacolod) - Open to residents only 

• Negros Oriental - Open to residents only

• Northern Samar - Open to residents only

• Nueva Ecija - Open to residents only. (Diocesan Shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus of Manoppello, Ditabuyan Falls, Intang Lakeside, Mt. Kaanducian, Pantabangan Dam, Rice Museum, Sierra Madre Falls are open to all residents from MGCQ areas provided they have to present medical certificate and negative RT-PCR test)

• Nueva Vizcaya - Open to residents only

• Occidental Mindoro - Open to residents only 

• Oriental Mindoro (including Puerto Galera) - Open to residents only (Muelle Bay Heritage Park, PHESI Windmill, Mangrove Conservation Area, Beaches, Snorkeling and diving sites, Sabang, White Beach, Extreme Adventure are open to domestic tourists from NCR (GCQ) and MGCQ areas provided they have to present medical certificate and negative result of RT-PCR test)

• Pampanga - Open to all tourists with advance booking (Bacolor Church open to all under MGCQ areas only, Sta. Rita Eco Park open to tourists from Region III only)

• Pangasinan - Open to domestic tourists from MGCQ areas only (Hundred Island National Park open to Pangasinan residents only, Our Lady of Manaog open to Region 1 tourists only)

• Palawan (including El Nido, Coron, Puerto Princesa, San Vicente, Port Barton) - Open to residents only except:

  • El Nido - Open to domestic tourists from Manila via AirSwift direct flight only. Read our El Nido travel guide for the tourist requirements.

  • Coron - Open to domestic tourists. Read our Coron travel guide for the tourist requirements

• Quirino - Open to residents only (Magat Dam, Bonsai farm and Balay Segundo Museum, Ramon Claredita Falls, Brgy. Victoria, Aglipay open to local residents only)

• Quezon - Open to residents only 

• Rizal - Open to domestic tourists only 

• Romblon - Open to residents only 

• Sarangani - Open to residents of each municipality only 

• Siquijor - Open to residents only 

• Subic - Open to domestic tourists from MGCQ areas and with travel documents only

• Surigao del Norte (including Siargao)- Open to domestic tourists. Read the travel requirements here. 

• Surigao del Sur - Open to residents only except those from municipalities with cases

• Sorsogon - Open to residents only 

• South Cotabato - Open to domestic tourists 

• Sultan Kudarat - Open to domestic tourists 

• Tacurong City - Open to residents only

• Tagaytay - Open to domestic tourists only. Read our Tagaytay travel guide for the tourist requirements. 

• Tarlac - Open to domestic tourists with complete travel requirements (travel pass, negative RT-PCR test and/or health certificate)

• Zambales (including Olongapo) - Open to residents only

• Zamboanga del Norte - Open to residents only 

• Zamboanga del Sur - Open to residents only

• Zamboanga Sibugay - Open to residents only 

Who are allowed to travel under the different Community Quarantine tiers in the Philippines?

 The national government in the Philippines through the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has imposed tiers of quarantine (community quarantine) per region which are also the basis for which industries and activities are allowed to open/operate. 

Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)

• Health and emergency frontline service personnel

• Government officials and frontline personnel

• Humanitarian assistance actors (HAA) with authorization

• Persons traveling for medical/humanitarian reasons

• Persons going to the airport for travel abroad

• Repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and Overseas Filipinos (OF) returning to their residence

• Other persons transported through the efforts of the national government

• Priests, Pastors, Imams, or other religious ministers conducting necrological services

• Immediate family members of deceased (from non-COVID causes) attending the wake

• Individuals who are working on veterinary clinics

• Individuals who are working as security personnel in operational industries

• Persons who will report to work for industries that are allowed to operate

• Persons who need emergency medical aid or assistance

• Persons with quarantine passes who will get essentials like food and medicine

Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ)

• Health and emergency frontline service personnel

• Government officials and frontline personnel

• Humanitarian assistance actors (HAA) with authorization

• Persons traveling for medical/humanitarian reasons

• Persons going to the airport for travel abroad

• Repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and Overseas Filipinos (OF) returning to their residence

• Other persons transported through the efforts of the national government

• Priests, Pastors, Imams, or other religious ministers conducting necrological services

• Immediate family members of deceased (from non-COVID causes) attending the wake

• Individuals who are working on veterinary clinics

• Individuals who are working as security personnel in operational industries

• Persons who will report to work for industries that are allowed to operate

• Persons who need emergency medical aid or assistance

• Persons with quarantine passes who will get essentials like food and medicine

General Community Quarantine (GCQ)

• Health and emergency frontline service personnel

• Government officials and frontline personnel

• Humanitarian assistance actors (HAA) with authorization

• Persons traveling for medical/humanitarian reasons

• Persons going to the airport for travel abroad

• Repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and Overseas Filipinos (OF) returning to their residence

• Other persons transported through the efforts of the national government

• Priests, Pastors, Imams, or other religious ministers conducting necrological services

• Immediate family members of deceased (from non-COVID causes) attending the wake

• Individuals who are working on veterinary clinics

• Individuals who are working as security personnel in operational industries

• Persons who will report to work for industries that are allowed to operate

• Persons who need emergency medical aid or assistance

• Persons who will get or buy essentials like food and medicine

• People traveling within the country with a secured Travel Authority document

• Individuals attending important gatherings with 10 or less people

• Individuals traveling to places under GQC and areas not under quarantine, except for leisure purposes

• Students going to school once face-to-face classes are allowed

Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ)

• Movement for people in areas under MGCQ with enforcement of required minimum health standards

• Resumption of all work in the private and public sectors at full capacity with enforcement of required minimum health standards

• Public transportation with enforcement of required minimum health standards

• Use of private vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles 

• Resumption of all flights will resume with enforcement of required minimum health standards

• Work operations in government offices with enforcement of required minimum health standards

• Normal physical classes in schools with enforcement of required minimum health standards

• Gatherings (including religious gatherings) of up to 10 people with enforcement of required minimum health standards

What are the Restrictions and Requirements for Inbound Travel to the Philippines?

International flights are allowed to enter the Philippines but arriving passengers should adhere to the precautionary measures, mandatory protocols, and requirements for travelers imposed by the Philippine government. 

Eligible travelers for inbound travel

• Filipino nationals

• Non-Filipino/Foreign spouse and minor children or children with special needs of a Filipino national

• Non-Filipino/Foreign parent of a minor Filipino child (below 21 years old) or a child with special needs (regardless of age)

• Accredited foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents

• Non-Filipino/Foreign seafarers with 9(c) visa

• Non-Filipino/Foreign nationals with an eligible long-term visa

Conditions of the IATF-EID for inbound travelers

• Must have a valid and existing visa at the time of entry

• With pre-booked accredited quarantine facility

• With pre-booked COVID-19 testing provider

• Subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers as set by the National Task Force for COVID-19

The eligible passengers for inbound travel to the Philippines, documentary and other requirements are subject to change. For inquiries and latest updates, you may get in touch with the Philippine Bureau of Immigration:

Telephone: (+632) 8465-2400, (+632) 8524-3769
Facebook: Immigration Helpline PH, Bureau of Immigration
Website: www.immigration.gov.ph

Email: 

• immigPH@gmail.com
• binoc_immigration@hotmail.ph
• immigration.helpline.ph@gmail.com

What are the Restrictions and Requirements for Domestic Travel in the Philippines?

Domestic flights are allowed to operate in the Philippines in areas under GCQ and MGCQ only, but arriving passengers should adhere to the precautionary measures, mandatory protocols, and requirements for travelers imposed by the Philippine government. 

Each destination in the Philippines also has its own set of requirements for domestic travelers mandated by the Local Government Unit (LGU) governing the city or province. 

Eligible travelers for domestic travel

• Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) – returning or repatriated OFWs and other OFs

• Locally stranded individuals (LSIs)

  • Foreign nationals or Filipino citizens in a specific locality within the Philippines who have expressed intention to return to their place of residence/home origin."

  • LSIs can be further classified as "workers, students, tourists, or other individuals stranded in various localities while in transit".

• Health and emergency frontline services personnel

• Government officials and government frontline personnel

• Duly authorized humanitarian assistance actors (HIAAs)

• Persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons

• Other persons transported through the efforts of the national government upon concurrence of LGUs

• Anyone crossing the zones for permitted work in the zone of destination and going back home.

Mandatory Documentary Requirements for Domestic Travel

Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF)

• Identification Card

• Travel Authority issued by JTF-CV Shield

• Negative RT-PCR result and Certificate of Quarantine issued by DOH-BOQ

Locally Stranded Individual (LSI)

• Identification Card

• Medical Certificate issued by city/municipality

  • LSI is neither a contact, suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 case, AND

  • LSI completed 14-day quarantine, OR

  • LSI who has been confirmed COVID-19 case already tested negative twice through RT-PCR.

• Travel Authority issued by JTF-CV Shield / Permit to Travel

Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR)

• Official Identification Card or proof of occupation

What are the Required Public Minimum Health Standards in the Philippines?

Photo by the Philippine Department of Tourism

Regardless of the community quarantine tier, the government has imposed the following required minimum health standards that the public and establishments must observe: 

• Mandatory wearing of face masks
• Social or physical distancing of at least 1 meter 
• Mandatory wearing of face shield for public transportation commuters and office workers (effective Aug 15)

Tips for Traveling in the Philippines during COVID-19

Traveling during a pandemic can be challenging because of the restrictions and requirements imposed. Here are some helpful tips you can take note of when traveling in the Philippines during COVID-19: 

1. Prepare your documents in advance based on the requirements of your destination's local government. 

2. Pre-book your hotel for the required quarantine period to avoid inconvenience upon arrival. Here are some quarantine hotels in Metro Manila that you can book:

• Y2 Residence Hotel Makati Managed by HII (Book here)
• The Picasso Boutique Serviced Residences Makati (Book here)

3. Not all local destinations have government-arranged transfers to/from the airport. You can book private transfers to/from the airport in advance. 

4. Install mobile apps that can help you monitor symptoms during quarantine and get real-time updates on the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines. 

• StaySafe.ph
• ENDCovPh