PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL

ADVISORY No. 32 16 December 2020 WINTER STORM WATCH FOR WEDNESDAY, 16 DECEMBER INTO THURSDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2020 The Philippine Consulate General in New York wishes to inform the public that the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch beginning Wednesday, 16 December, at 2:00pm with snowfall expected starting at around 3:00pm and becoming increasingly heavy into the evening. The heaviest snow is expected to be from Wednesday late evening until Thursday morning, eventually tapering off Thursday afternoon. The Consulate advises the community to take the necessary precautions. As of today, there are no plans to suspend consular operations for 16 and 17 December, although this may change depending on the announcements of the New York City local government on the prevailing weather conditions. The safety of our kababayans and our staff are paramount. In case of work suspension, clients with cancelled appointments will be given priority accommodation for later dates. Please monitor our official Face Book page and website for any announcements on work suspensions.

ADVISORY No. 31 27 November 2020 EXEMPTIONS FROM THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF VISA-FREE PRIVILEGES The Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) wishes to inform our kababayans that pursuant to Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 85, dated 26 November 2020, and with reference to Republic Act No. 6768, as amended (Balikbayan Program), the following shall be exempted from the temporary suspension of visa-free privileges starting 07 December 2020:Filipino citizens’ foreign spouses and children, regardless of age, who are traveling with them; andFormer Filipino citizens, together with their foreign spouses and children, regardless of age, who are traveling with them;The entry of the above-mentioned foreign nationals shall be subject to the following conditions:(a) They must be nationals permitted/allowed to enter the country visa-free under Executive Order No. 408[1], series of 1960;(b) They must have a pre-booked quarantine facility;(c) They must have a pre-booked COVID-19 testing at a laboratory operating at the airport; and(d) They are subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port of entry and during the date of entry.Further, the entry of the above-mentioned foreign nationals shall be subject to the implementing guidelines to be issued by the…

ADVISORY No. 30 22 October 2020 DUAL CITIZENS WHO ARE VISITING THE PHILIPPINES REQUIRED TO PRESENT PHILIPPINE PASSPORTS BEFORE EXITING THE PHILIPPINES The Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) wishes to inform our kababayans - who are dual citizens - that the Bureau of Immigration requires the presentation of Philippine Passports before exiting the Philippines. For MINOR CHILDREN: When a Report of Birth has not yet been filed When a Report of Birth has already been filed Parents who report their child’s birth with PCGNY are therefore advised to apply subsequently for a Philippine passport for the child. Parents who have already filed a Report of Birth, without applying for a Philippine passport for their child, must do so before traveling to the Philippines. If the Philippine passport cannot be available in time for the flight to the Philippines, a Travel Document will be issued to the child. The passport of the child could then be claimed at the Office of Consular Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs before exiting the Philippines. To apply for a Report of Birth, please visit the following link: http://newyorkpcg.org/pcgny/civil-registration/report-of-birth-of-a-filipino-abroad/ For ADULTS: Adults who have recently reacquired/retained their Philippine citizenship, by virtue of Republic…

ADVISORY No. 29 21 October 2020 CESSATION OF PHILHEALTH-FUNDED COVID-19 TESTING IN FAVOR OF REPATRIATES AND RETURNING OFWs On 14 October 2020, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) announced the cessation of PhilHealth-funded COVID-19 testing to repatriates and Returning Overseas Filipino Workers (ROFWs). In view of this development, repatriates and ROFWs must anticipate a longer turn-around time for the processing of their COVID-19 swab tests’ results. The projected delay will be from five to seven days processing of results, from the previous 24 hours to three days processing time delivered by the PRC. This delay may only last for a week or two. In the meantime, the One-Stop Shop (OSS) has tapped the services of government–run laboratories to fill the void created by the pull out of PRC laboratory services.

ADVISORY No. 28 21 October 2020 NY GOV. CUOMO URGES NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL TO NEW JERSEY, CONNECTICUT AND PENNSYLVANIA AS COVID-19 CASES RISE New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on 20 October 2020 that the neighboring states of Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania now meet the criteria for the 14-day quarantine but said that travel restrictions might be difficult and unenforceable among the three states given the interconnected nature of the region, the mode of transport, and its impact on the economy. The Consulate reiterates its reminder to our kababayans in the Northeast region to heed their respective state’s health and travel advisories, to avoid non-essential travel, to continue to remain vigilant, practice social distancing, use masks and frequent hand washing to avoid/mitigate the spread of infection.

ADVISORY No. 27 7 October 2020 FIL-AM COMMUNITY IN THE NORTHEAST ADVISED TO CONTINUE OBSERVING COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS The Filipino-American community in the Northeast United States is advised to continue observing safety protocols against COVID-19 infections in view of the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the past week. States under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate in New York, namely, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, show an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases. The state and city governments of New York have expressed concern over the increased infection rates in certain areas in Brooklyn and Queens. Both the state and local government are taking immediate action to prevent further infections and disease transmissions in these communities. The Consulate underscores the importance for the community to remain vigilant, continue to practice social distancing, use masks and frequent hand washing to avoid or minimize the risk of infection.