The Davao City government and the tour groups are drawing up plans for the first arrival of a group of foreign tourists on a chartered flight of Singapore Airlines for its “Northern Winter Flight” starting October 31, 2021.
The Northern Winter Flight scheduled from October 31, 2021, to March 6, 2022, is the first for Singapore Airlines more than a year after the Covid-19 affected all international travels globally. Singapore Airlines has been serving Davao – Singapore route for returning Filipinos and foreign tourists visiting Davao City but halted the weekly flights since Davao City closed the Francisco Bangoy International Airport to all international flights due to Covid-19.
City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) Chief Regina Rosa Tecson in an interview with the City Information Office confirmed Monday that Singapore Airlines already sent a letter requesting for the runway and terminal clearance for their Northern Winter Flight Schedule.
She was optimistic about the approval of the request and so, her office is tying up with the private sector for an offering of âstaycation packagesâ to the arriving tourists.
As to quarantine hotels for the arriving international tourists, Tecson said that the city is well prepared.
Test before travel
Tecson said the Test Before Travel will still be required following the Davao City ordinance on requiring a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours before travel to the city.
The Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) Resolution Nos. 144-A and 144-B dated October 14, 2021, effective from October 16-31 2021, classified Singapore as a Yellow List Country (âModerate Riskâ). The testing and quarantine requirements for travelers from yellow list countries are specified.
Fully vaccinated individuals travelling to the Philippines from Singapore are to undergo a 10-day quarantine with the following requirements, while unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals travelling to the Philippines from Singapore are to undergo a 14-day quarantine.
If fully vaccinated, foreign nationals must be pre-booked in a facility/quarantine accommodation for at least six days while for fully vaccinated Filipino, facility-based quarantine until the release of negative RT-PCR on the 5th day is required.
For unvaccinated, partially vaccinated foreign national or vaccination status cannot be validated or if fully-vaccinated but failed to comply with the test before travel requirementâa pre-booked facility quarantine accommodation for at least 8 days is required.
For unvaccinated, partially vaccinated Filipino or vaccination status cannot be validated or if fully vaccinated Filipino but failed to comply with the test-before-travel requirementâa facility-based quarantine until the release of negative RT-PCR test on the 7th day is required.
Proof of vaccination requirements are also specified in the IATF-MEID Resolution which can be accessed through this link: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2021/10oct/20211014-IATF-144A-RRD.pd
Tecson said that the opening of Davao-Singapore flights will help boost the tourism industry which was affected by the pandemic. CIO
