Gov’t allows special flights back for Filipinos from countries with travel ban

FILE PHOTO: Repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs arrive at an airport after being allowed to go home following weeks of quarantine in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines May 26, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s pandemic task force has authorized the conduct of special commercial flights to bring home stranded Filipinos from countries under travel restrictions, Malacañang said Friday.

The Philippines is currently imposing a travel ban over India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. This is set to last until July 15.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the special commercial flights would be subject to guidelines, including the creation of a special working group to draft the implementing protocols for the flights, in coordination with concerned airlines.

The Department of Health, the Bureau of Quarantine, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Transportation and its One-Stop-Shop, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Department of Tourism shall form part of the special working group, he added.

The flights shall be exclusive only for Filipinos and must have prior approval from the special working group.

Roque said the guidelines on the implementation of exemptions for the Philippine government and non-Philippine government repatriation shall be followed.

EDV