Presidential spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque. YANCY LIM / PRESIDENTIAL FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday said it respects Malaysia’s entry ban on Filipinos due to the Philippines’ high COVID-19 cases, saying it is the state’s “sovereign decision.”
Malaysia imposed an entry ban on citizens of India, Indonesia and the Philippines starting September 7.
Its health minister said the measure was to “clamp down” the spread of imported COVID-19 cases.
“Well, that’s a sovereign decision who will be allowed to enter one’s territory. I’m not saying we’re happy. I’m saying we regret the decision but we respect the sovereign decision of Malaysia,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.
The Philippines has the highest number of coronavirus cases in Southeast Asia with a current number of over 226,000 infections followed by Indonesia with more than 180,000.
India, on the other hand, has so far recorded 3.7 million cases, the third highest in the world after the United States and Brazil.