The Philippines on Thursday reopened its borders to foreign tourists, lifting a two-year ban implemented to keep local COVID-19 cases under control. Easing border restrictions to fully vaccinated foreigners from 157 countries with visa-free arrangements with the Philippines marks the beginning of the “next chapter in the road to recovery,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. The Southeast Asian country, popular for its tropical beach resorts, saw visitor arrivals plunge 82 percent between 2019 and 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente sai…