When the two popular Davids of American Idol season 7 arrived in the Philippines last May 13, they went off the plane, headed to their swift exit to the airport and skipped the required swine flu check for all incoming passengers especially those from the United States and Mexico.
The Quarantine Bureau of the Philippines said the swine flu check is required for everyone whatever his or her status is. It is noted that Pound-for-Pound King Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao, after his fight with Ricky "Hitman" Hatton in Las Vegas, undergone a swine flu check when he came back to the Philippines. Even Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo went for the check-up after attending an event abroad. So there is no reason for the two Davids to be exempted.
The Philippines is still an A H1/N1 Virus-free country and thus all efforts to prevent the virus from entering the country is being done. This includes walking in a hall equipped with a thermo-scanner to check the temperature, a foot washed and a mini interview for symptoms checking.
It was reported that because David Archuleta and David Cook skipped the swine flu check, the Bureau of Quarantine went into their hotel rooms at the EDSA-Shangrila. They were halted for three hours by the organizers and bodyguards of the celebrities. By that time the Bureau officials, pissed for 3 hours waiting, threatened them that they can arrest people who refused to complete a swine flu check.
Only then the two Davids, and the people with them, are given complete swine flu check. They were also given orders to submit a body temperature check twice everyday. The Bureau said Cook and Archuleta are very cooperative and that the organizers and the managers are the ones that is trying to block the check. The Bureau then reminded them that for the health of the public, there is no VIP nor celebrity status exemptions.
