CEBU CITY, Philippines – Two “special” flights mounted by the national government for repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are expected to arrive at Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Monday, May 25, 2020, information from the government showed.
The flights, via two Airbus 330-309 from Philippine Airlines, with a total combined seating capacity of 927, are part of the inter-agency efforts on sending home at least 24,000 stranded OFWs in Manila beginning May 25 to May 27, as announced by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
One flight is scheduled to land in MCIA at 2:30 p.m. while another at 5:30 p.m.
“The three-day OFW Return Program is provided by President Rodrigo Duterte to ensure the safe return of those repatriated OFWs under mandatory quarantine to their families and loved ones amid the Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019),” DOLE said in a statement.
DOLE, together with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), is targeting to send a total of 24,000 repatriated OFWs back to their hometowns and provinces within a three-day period.
READ MORE: DOLE: Efforts underway to send home 24,000 quarantined OFWs in 3 days
CDN Digital is still trying to reach OWWA in Central Visayas (OWWA – 7) on the details and master list of OFWs expected to arrive in MCIA on Monday.
These OFWs, DOLE said, have completed their mandatory quarantine period in Metro Manila, and have already tested negative of COVID-19 using Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.
“More bus rides and flights will be made available for the OFWs. A One-Stop-Shop will be located in the bus and flight sites to ensure the speedy arrangements for this program,” DOLE said.
“This is part of President Duterte’s commitment to the safe return of OFWs to their families, as arranged by the Philippine government,” they added. /bmjo