MANILA – The Philippines’s two largest airlines announced Tuesday the cancellation of flights to Taiwan after the government expanded its travel ban to include all foreigners coming from the island to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific said they were cancelling flights to and from Taiwan to manage the risks from the fast spreading virus outbreak.
The Bureau of Immigration said late on Monday the travel ban would take effect immediately and will follow the same procedures as in the previously announced restriction that covered China, and its special administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau.
“While not explicitly stated, we have confirmed that Taiwan is indeed part of the ban, and this expansion shall be implemented immediately,” said Immigration commissioner Jaime Morente.
Filipinos and foreigners with permanent resident visas may be allowed entry but will be turned over to the Bureau of Quarantine for assessment, Morente said.
More than 115,000 Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, mainly in factories and as household helpers.
Taiwan and China have close economic and cultural ties, and the island has reported 18 confirmed cases of the virus as of writing. China has reported more than 42,000 cases, by comparison, and over 1,000 deaths, centered on Hubei province’s capital Wuhan.
The World Health Organization has included Taiwan as part of China in its assessment that China is a “high risk” area for the virus, despite Taiwan’s complaints that they have a totally separate government and health system and should not be included under China.
This has already prompted Italy to include Taiwan as part of its flight ban from China, to Taiwan’s anger. (Reuters)
