Cebu City to help its residents stranded in Manila due to flight diversion

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City is planning to help its residents who are Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROF) and are stranded in Manila due to the flight diversion imposed by the Interagency Task Force (IATF).

The flight diversion has been extended to June 12, 2021, which means that those who are scheduled to fly home to Cebu will  be diverted to Manila, where they will spend 10 days under quarantine in Department of Health (DOH) accredited hotels.

READ: Diversion of MCIA flights to NAIA extended to June 12

Acting Mayor Michael Rama has instructed the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate with Cebu City residents being quarantined in Manila.

“We will assist them, first we need to coordinate them and provide communication to their families. Atong tanawn if naa ba sila’y makaon, magamit didto kay hatagan nato. Then we need to get them home,” said Rama.

(We will check if they have food and other things they need so we can give them.)

He instructed the EOC to get all the information related to the Cebu City residents quarantined in Manila and find a way to get them home after they are released.

The EOC is also asked to coordinate with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to facilitate the return of the city residents.

Rama said the city will find either a boat or a flight to bring the ROF city residents home after their quarantine and will also look for ways to fund the trip.

Many ROFs, currently quarantined in Manila hotels, have complained that they are spending from their own pockets for the hotel rooms serving as the quarantine cells and have to spend money again to get home to Cebu.

“I am aware of this. We will find a way provide assistance to them,” said the acting mayor.

/bmjo

READ MORE: Rama’s appeal to the national government: Respect Cebu’s autonomy