Press Release No. 195-03
24 April 2003
NO
BASIS FOR TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS TO OR FROM R.P. ;
GOVERNMENT TO PROTEST ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS – OPLE
Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today stated that the Philippines
would lodge a strong protest against any country that bans the travel of Filipinos
or which prohibits travel to the Philippines on the grounds that the Philippines
is a ‘...SARS-infected country...’.
“There is no medical or factual basis for anyone to discriminate against
travellers coming from or going to the Philippines,” Secretary Ople said.
“The extraordinary efforts taken by the Philippines, in coordination with
other countries and international organizations to prevent the spread of SARS
have been clearly successful and the results speak for themselves. Because
of our early actions and the dedicated efforts of our officials, particularly
our health workers and those who guard the entry points to the country, there
have been no confirmed local transmission of SARS,” the Secretary added.
Saying that the Philippines is clearly prepared to address any outbreak
of SARs, the Secretary said that “even if there should be a possible SARs
infection, we have measures and resources in place to ensure that it will
be contained and that inbound and outbound travel will continue to be generally
safe.”
“The adoption of restriction that are not based on fact but on fear only
tend to fuel misunderstanding and panic over SARS,” he said, “and would only
distract us from meaningfully confronting and addressing the problem.”