This article attempts to document the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines in 2021.

Timeline January

January 3 – The country banned the entry of travelers from the US until January 15, 2021, as the new virus variant was detected in Florida. This also include those who have been to the US within 14 days prior to their arrival in the country as revealed by spokesperson Harry Roque. January 4 NBI's spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said that the bureau will investigate PSG's illegal COVID-19 vaccination. Manila will provide mandatory free confirmatory COVID-19 tests to all its returning residents but violators will face criminal charges as declared by mayor Isko Moreno Makati will provide free COVID-19 vaccine to its constituents as the city government allocated P1 billion, (the largest amount of vaccine fund for a city in the country) according to city mayor Abby Binay. However, the city is yet to disclose the source of the vaccine. Later on January 12, 2021, it was revealed that the vaccine will be AstraZeneca's AZD1222. January 6 A traveler from the Philippines has been tested positive for the new virus strain of COVID-19 in HK. The patient arrived in HK via Philippine Airlines flight PR300 on December 22. Meanwhile, DOH firmly stated the presence of B.1.1.7 strain in the country has not yet been detected. The country added travel ban to foreigners from 6 more countries namely – Brazil, Finland, India, Jordan, Norway, and Portugal from January 8–15, 2020 amid the new virus variant as announced by Malacañang based on the joint recommendation of DOH and DFA. Foreigners who obtained negative RT-PCR test results before January 8 will still required to undergo facility-based 14-day quarantine. January 8 – The country issued travel ban to foreigners from Austria and South Africa over new coronavirus strain from January 10–15, 2020 as announced by the Palace. January 9 DOH announced 1,952 fresh new cases of the disease, the highest number of daily cases in a span of more than 3 weeks. This data added to the total number of cases to 485,797 in which 26,784 are still active. Meanwhile, 291 recoveries were recorded, making 449,615 for the total number of recoveries; and 34 deaths with 9,398 as total. A number of local government units allocated acquisition funds for yet undisclosed COVID-19 vaccine sources which include Antipolo, BARMM, Biliran, Borongan, Cainta, Cavite, Cebu City, Davao City, Iloilo, Leyte, Legazpi City, Malabon, Marikina, Navotas, Northern Samar, Noveleta, Ormoc, Parañaque, Pasay, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Samar, San Jose Del Monte, Santa Rosa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, and Zamboanga City. January 11 DOH identified a total of 4,512 fixed COVID-19 vaccination posts in the whole country with a presumed rate of 100 jab tasks per team. Despite reported low efficacy rate, the country was able to secure 25 million sinovac vaccines which is set to arrived in February 2021 as announced by Palace spokesperson Harry Roque A number of cities in the country already secured deals with the procurement of AstraZeneca's AZD1222 vaccine which includes Bacolod, Caloocan, Iloilo City, Las Piñas, Makati, Mandaluyong, Manila, Muntinlupa, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, Tagbilaran, Taguig, Valenzuela, and Vigan. At least 61 out of 146 cities in the country already set to acquire COVID-19 vaccines for their residents according to League of Cities of the Philippines President and Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia. January 12 – The country extended travel ban to China, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Oman, and Pakistan from January 13–15, 2021 amid the threat of new virus strain. Meanwhile, Filipinos coming from these countries are required to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine. January 13 – Philippine Genome Center (PGC) together with DOH officially confirmed that the more contagious B.1.17 virus variant already reached the country when a swab test from a 29-year-old businessman from Kamuning, Quezon City who arrived on January 7, 2021, from UAE yielded a positive result to the variant. The patient experienced pneumonia while his female partner had negative result. Consequently, DOH and Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) immediately conducted contract tracing over the incident. January 14 – Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine roll-out. This is the first EUA granted in the country January 15 The country extended travel ban to 35 countries and territories which includes Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, HK, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and US from January 15–31, 2021; while UAE and Hungary from January 17–31, 2021 amid the new virus strain. Consequently, Cebu Pacific temporarily won't accept foreign passengers who came from, or travelled from these countries within 14 days prior to arrival in the Philippines from January 15–31, 2021. DOH undersecretary Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire warned uncooperative passengers of Emirates Flight No. EK 332 that arrived at NAIA on January 7, 2021, that they may face future sanctions based on the Republic Act 11332 of 2019 if they failed to response to contract tracing efforts of the government. Still 13 out 159 passengers of the said flight are yet to respond to the said contact tracing in response to the first reported B.1.1.7 infected patient in the country. January 16 – Despite still indecisive use of sinovac in the country, China pledged to donate half a million doses of the said vaccine to the country as announced by their Foreign Minister Wang Yi during its recent state visit. However, donated vaccines can only be accepted by DOH upon acquiring EUA from FDA. January 17 – In less than a year after its first reported case, the country breached 500,000 mark on the number of COVID-19 cases as DOH reported 1,895 fresh cases, reaching 500,577 count which includes 24,691 still active cases; 5,868 recoveries adding to 465,991 recovered patients; and 11 deaths bringing to 9,895 toll. The country ranked at 32nd place with the most cases in the world and 2nd in Southeast Asia only behind to world's 19th ranked Indonesia (907,929 cases). January 18 Bontoc mayor Franklin Odsey tested positive for COVID-19, opting the capital town to imposed lockdown to its pre-identified barangays from January 18–31. Philippine Superliga partnered with Go Negosyo program will procure vaccines for all its players as revealed by its league chairman Philip Ella Juico, becoming the first major sports organization in the country to acquire its own vaccines. January 21 Senator Pia Cayetano filed Senate Bill No. 1999 which aim to create vaccine passport initiative that will to set up a database registry of individuals who had been inoculated including their vaccination details as well as to monitor vaccine distribution and its effects. Holders of these passports may also be given certain privileges, access or exemptions to international and domestic travel, health checkpoints, quarantine, and business establishments. Despite World Health Organization's non-recommendation of COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, DOH will still seek obstetrics' and gynecologist's opinion on the possible inoculation of the said group. Bharat Biotech of India applied for EUA in the country for their developed COVAXIN as announced by FDA. January 22 – Sixteen (16) more cases of UK-COVID-19 variant were reported in the country as announced by the DOH with 12 of these cases are from Bontoc, Mt. Province. January 23 Bontoc mayor Franklin Odsey revealed the reported UK variant cases originated from a Filipina who arrived on December 11, 2020, from UK. The said individual attended a tribal ritual and infected 11 others. Initially, she was tested negative upon arrival but later developed symptoms and yielded positive result after a re-test on December 18, 2020. Two villages within the town, including barangays Samoki, the epicenter of the new UK-COVID-19 variant were placed under lockdown with Bontoc alone had 203% increased over two weeks span. Experts from DOH's technical advisory group disclosed that the more contagious UK variant had entered the country on December 10, 2020 (that time the variant was still unknown) through a Bontoc female patient who arrived from UK, much earlier than the reported case on January 13, 2021, from a Quezon City male resident who arrived from UAE. January 24 Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City placed under lockdown every Sunday that started on January 24, 2021, over the sudden spike on the number of cases within the village based on their new barangay resolution. Residents were barred to leave their homes unless for emergency or important business, or they are frontliners or APOR. Bontoc mayor Franklin Odysey issued an Executive Order extending lockdown in barangay Tocucan, Bontoc Ili, Caluttit, Poblacion, and Samoki effective January 25–31, 2021 amid threat of the new coronavirus variant. The town has 341 total COVID-19 cases, with 90 recoveries and 249 active cases. January 25 Commission on Higher Education approved limited face-to-face classes for students of medicine and allied health sciences in areas under MGCQ. Meanwhile, students in GCQ areas are allowed go into COVID-19 hospitals. UP Manila, Ateneo de Manila University, and Our Lady of Fatima University-Valenzuela were among the universities who were allowed by the commission but other schools who wish to hold limited face-to-face classes must submit an application as confirmed by commissioner Prospero De Vera III. Philippine Red Cross kicked-off COVID-19 saliva testing initially at its headquarter in Mandaluyong and at its molecular laboratory, Port Area Manila. The said test was priced at P2,000 per test, P1,800 less expensive than the regular swab testing. January 26 – Pasig became the first LGU in the country with COVID-19 vaccination plan approved by the DOH-WHO as announced by mayor Vico Sotto. January 27 – Starting February 1, 2021, travelers arriving in the country regardless of origin are required to have their COVID-19 tests on the 5th day of quarantine instead of arrival date unless any earlier symptoms will occur as announced by Malacañang upon the recommendation of IATF-EID and DOH. Once tested negative on the 5th day, passengers will be endorsed to LGU of destination to continue the mandatory 14-day quarantine. January 28 – FDA granted EUA of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the 2nd vaccine after Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with approved EUA in the country. January 29 – Palace through its spokesperson announced regions – NCR and CAR will be placed under GCQ including Batangas, Tacloban City, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Iligan City from February 1–28, 2021. Meanwhile, the rest of the country under MGCQ. January 30 – After a year of its first reported case, the country logged 2,109 COVID-19 infected individuals pushing the tally to 523,516. Meanwhile, 146 recoveries and 17 deaths were also recorded bring the total recovered patients to 475,904 and death toll to 10,669. Thus, 36,943 cases are still active with country's recovery rate at 90.9%.

February February 1 Asian Development Bank allocated $25 M to the country to loan out for procurement of COVID-19 vaccines to 70 million Filipinos, as a target by the DOH. Baguio City implemented daily curfew hours from 10 pm to 4 am; and liquor ban from 8 pm to 10 am in the entire city as GCQ commences in CAR. Ilocus Sur temporarily closed its borders with Mt. Province as to prevent the possible entry of B.1.1.7 strain from Bontoc through an issued executive order by governor Ryan Singson. Two of its borders are located at barangay Aluling and Commilas in the town of Cervantes. February 5