DOTr allows all airline passengers to leave PH within 72 hours

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday said it will allow all passengers, regardless of their nationality, to leave the country within the 72-hour period upon the effectivity of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

In a Viber message to reporters, Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran said all passengers are allowed to depart from the country unless their tickets were suspended by their respective airlines or the Civil Aeronautics Board.

“This is to inform everyone that during the IATF meeting held today, 17 March 2020, it was decided that all passengers, regardless of nationality, may depart from the country within the 72-hour period, unless their flights have been canceled by the airlines or the Civil Aeronautics Board [CAB],” she said.

Initially, the guidelines only allowed the DOTr aviation sector to let foreigners depart from the Philippines within a period of 72 hours.

The DOTr also announced earlier that after the 72-hour window, all airports in Luzon will be shut down.

The enhanced community quarantine was imposed after confirmed cases of coronavirus disease rose to 142 which included 12 deaths.

Excluded from travel restrictions in Luzon are those delivering “medical supplies, laboratory specimens related to the COVID-19, basic needs, and other humanitarian assistance.”

Edited by JPV