MANILA — Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines flights to South Korea will continue pending guidelines on a partial travel ban, the two carriers' spokeswomen said Thursday.

Manila on Wednesday barred Filipino tourists from heading to South Korea, exempting workers, students, and permanent residents. The government also barred inbound travelers from the Korea's North Gyeongsang province, which accounted for the bulk of its coronavirus cases.

There is "no basis yet to cancel" flights pending the release of a formal directive from government, said Cebu Pacific director for Corporate Communications and Corporate Affairs Charo Logarta-Lagamon.

"We are just waiting for the official advice from our regulators, but we're already prepared to implement [the ban]... As soon as we get it, and we understand it's forthcoming, we will be advising our passengers," she told DZMM.

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PAL is also "awaiting the implementing rules and regulations from the Civil Aeronautics Board," said the carrier's spokesperson Cielo Villaluna.

South Korea reported 284 new infections Wednesday -- its largest daily increase to date -- taking the overall national tally to 1,261, with the death toll rising to 12.

It remains the most-affected country after China, with the outbreak traced to a religious sect in the southern city of Daegu and the neighboring Gyeongsang.

South Korea is the Philippines' largest source of foreign tourist arrivals based on 2019 data, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat earlier said. In 2018, Korea lured around half a million Filipino tourists, an envoy said.

Cebu Pacific has around 40 weekly round trips to South Korea while PAL has 21 round trips, said their spokespersons.

Both airlines have yet to restore flights to Macau and Macau, about a week after the government relaxed a travel ban and allowed Filipino workers to head to the 2 Chinese territories.