Stranded Filipinos in the UAE may now have a chance to head back home through gov’t-assisted repatriation flights or through limited ‘Bayanihan flights’.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated that several commercial airlines have been applying for the so-called ‘Bayanihan flights’ to help reunite more Filipinos back with their families.
With NAIA’s cap of 2,000 passengers per day, the Inter-Agency Task Force mandated airlines to prioritize Filipinos whose flights have been cancelled since the travel ban began in mid-May.
The Filipino Times spoke to representatives from commercial airlines who stated they have indeed applied for the ‘Bayanihan flights’, with several confirmed flight dates.
As of posting time, Emirates has confirmed six flights on August 5, 7, 11, 12, 14 and 18, that will carry 100 passengers each for a total of 600 Filipinos, while Philippine Airlines will be taking home 288 passengers for its first Bayanihan flight to take place on August 6.
Cebu Pacific has also mounted their first Bayanihan flight back on July 30 carrying 339 Filipinos and applied for August flights. They have announced two flights which will take place this coming August 11 and 18. Following previous repatriation flights, each plane is estimated to carry around 250 to 300 passengers each.
Rebooking process
The process of rebooking cancelled tickets varies per airline.
For Emirates, passengers have been advised to visit their nearest Emirates Office to coordinate and secure their seats.
Passengers of Philippine Airlines flights have been advised to contact PAL offices in UAE at Dubai (04-3166632) and Abu Dhabi (02-622-2462).
Cebu Pacific stated that passengers whose flights were previously cancelled may rebook through the manage booking portal https://bit.ly/CEBmanageflight
Strict 48-hour PCR test window
In a phone call with The Filipino Times, PAL Country Manager to the UAE Agnes Pagaduan stressed that all Filipinos who will be included in the Bayanihan/Charter flights will have to undergo a PCR test, 48 hours prior to their flight.
She stated that the government strictly follows the time of PCR test swabbing, not the time when the PCR test result is released. Those whose swab timings will exceed the 48 hour window will not be allowed to board the flight.
“Example if flight departure is 7:30 pm of August 6, PCR test should be done not earlier than 7:30 pm of August 4. Counting of 48 hours should start from the time of swabbing and not from the release of the RT-PCR Test Result. RT-PCR Negative Certificate must be presented upon check-in, passenger holding expired certificate will not be accepted, ” advised Pagaduan.
She advised passengers to secure a physical copy of their RT-PCR swab test certificate that shows the exact time when they got swabbed.
Repatriation flights continue
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola stated that between June to July of this year, they have repatriated 2,069 stranded Filipinos from the UAE, majority of whom include those whose contracts have been finished, those whose visas have been canceled, and those at risk of overstaying.
Of this number, 47% of them were OFWs whose visas had been cancelled or had overstayed in the country. Filipinos with medical cases come in second with 21%, followed by Families with minor children at 12%. Those who are suffering from medical conditions comprise 8% of the total overseas Filipinos repatriated while overseas Filipinos from jail as well as those in the shelter comprise 7 and 5% respectively.
DFA Usec Arriola states that the statistics may vary this coming August, as the department aims to bring home another 4,610 Filipinos 14 flights around the world, six of which will be flights from the UAE.
“We don’t know if it’s going to be the same statistics that we’ll see next month, but majority pa rin, a very, very big part is cancelled visas, (cancelled) contracts and overstaying. In the spirit of transparency, just to show ano po talaga yung 2,069 po na yan. Ito po talaga yung anong klaseng mga emergency (cases) nag re-respond po yung mga posts natin,” said Usec Arriola.
“We try our best to accommodate everyone pero kung titignan po ninyo mas marami talaga yung cancelled visa contract or overstay,” she added.
Here to help
Arriola said that the Philippine government is doing everything they can to ensure that all overseas Filipinos have a chance to head back home. However, the huge demand for flights alongside the 2,000 daily passenger cap at NAIA that is applicable for flights from the entire globe and the limited availability of quarantine hotels complicate and restrict the number of flights from the UAE and in other parts of the world.
“We continue to repatriate because these are Filipinos who are in distress and they have the right to come back. It’s just that kaya kami humihingi talaga ng pasensiya at pang-unawa kasi nga hindi—dahil iyong hotels po natin napupuno po talaga so kaya medyo mabagal po talaga iyong pasok ng mga tao,” said Arriola.
DFA stated that they understand the plight of OFWs in the UAE and around the world but stressed that they also have to protect the local population from contracting COVID-19.
“But we will follow the strict protocols also to protect our local population but at the same time we are also making sure to bring everyone home. Kahit hindi as fast as most people would want it to be but we are doing the best we can. And of course ang dami pa ring nagagalit kasi gusto talaga nilang mauna sila and we just continue to apologize; but sana po maunawaan din ninyo kami na hindi po ninyo kami kalaban,” said Arriola.
Since February 2020, the DFA has already facilitated the return of at least 405,769 Filipinos from around the world. Of this number, 300,163 are land-based OFWs, while the remaining 105,606 are sea-based.
Arriola assured overseas Filipinos that they are aware of the emergency situation and are coordinating with relevant agencies to find more plausible ways to reunited more overseas Filipinos with their families this year.
“We understand there are thousands of people who are stranded all over the world and we are doing our best to bring everyone home. It’s just that hindi namin kayang sabay-sabay. But we are here to help, they’re just here to help and we are not here to make things more difficult for people. But we have to tell the truth na may priority listing po, mahaba po iyong pila at hindi po talaga puwede kaming mag-uwi nang sabay-sabay. But then, even then we are here to do our best to bring everyone home,” she added.
