November 29

The Philippine government has reversed its decision to allow entry to some international tourists. This comes as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been spreading in Africa and Europe.

The government unveiled the U-turn on Sunday. That was just two days after it announced a plan to begin accepting double-vaccinated foreign travelers from about 30 "low-risk" countries and territories, starting on Wednesday.

The government also announced that it had approved a ban on the entry of travelers from 14 African and European countries, including South Africa and Botswana as well as Italy and the Netherlands.

NHK