Russia lifts travel ban to PH—DFA

A mountain in Leyte with toppled coconut trees after the Nov. 8 Supertyphoon “Yolanda” lashed Leyte and other provinces in central Philippines. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Russia lifted its travel ban to the Philippines, a month after it recommended that its citizens refrain from going to areas devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan).

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation announced the lifting of [the] travel ban for Russian citizens to the Philippines, except to the most devastated areas where the situation still remains difficult,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Thursday.

“The latest announcement says that the situation in the Philippines is gradually returning to normal and advised Russian tourists to remain in the areas of Boracay, Cebu, Palawan and Bohol islands when travelling to the Philippines,” it said.

Russia issued a travel ban to the Philippines November 13 after towns and cities throughout the Visayas region were devastated by Yolanda on November 8.

“Thousands of Russian tourists travel to the Philippines especially during the winter months,” the DFA said.