Health chief cites reason for travel ban on Taiwan

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that the "preliminary reason" why Taiwan was included in the temporary travel ban imposed by the Philippine government was due to public health and safety.

"Preliminary reason and the only reason I should like to believe – that has been considered in including Taiwan in the travel ban – is really nothing else than public health and safety. That is the only consideration," said Duque.

The government recently imposed a temporary travel ban on travelers from China and its special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, in a bid to prevent the spread of the

Covid-19. Last Monday, Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo made a clarification that Taiwan is covered by the travel ban.

Duque said that the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases will discuss the inclusion of Taiwan in the travel ban.

Members of the task force include representatives from the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Local Government, Justice, Labor and Employment, Tourism, Transportation, and Information and Communications Technology.

"One of the major issues that will be deliberated upon is the travel ban that has included Taiwan. We are aware of the sentiments of the Taiwan government vis-a-vis travel ban," said the Health chief.

"All of these will be considered in our deliberations and hopefully come up with a consensus not just to address – specifically the issue of Taiwan being included in the travel ban – but also more broad consideration of factors that will help the task force formulate a set of criteria or parameters in so far as inclusion or exclusion is concerned," he added.

Duque said that the task force needs to make recommendations according to "evidence-based risk assessment."