Emirates Airline stated that from December 23 to January 3, authorities from the Philippines has instructed that only Cebuano Overseas Filipino workers and returning Filipinos in general will be allowed to enter the country.
No other nationality will be permitted on these flights.
“Effective December 23, 2021, up to and including January 3, 2022, only Cebuano Overseas Filipino Workers and returning Filipinos will be allowed to enter Cebu as per directive from local authorities in Philippines. No other nationality is permitted to travel on these flights,” read the announcement.
It asked passengers to visit the website to update passport details to avoid disruption to their journey, adding if customers need to change their booking and have bought their tickets directly with Emirates, they can contact the local airline office.
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“If booked through a travel agent, passengers need to contact the agency for any changes. The airline has asked passengers to bring all the correct documents to check‑in to board the flight. The regulations change frequently, and passengers should regularly check the travel requirements for Dubai and the travel requirements for your final destination before you travel,” it said.
This follows as under the new protocol, returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with Cebu residences will be swabbed upon arrival and will stay a maximum of two days in quarantine hotels which kicks in a shorter hotel quarantine period mandated by the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
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According to IATF it requires passengers a seventh-day testing in hotel quarantine if coming from a red list country, fifth-day testing if arriving from a yellow list country, and third-day testing also in hotel quarantine if from a green list country.
Also in terms of quarantine days, it will be either eight days if coming from a red list country, six days if from yellow list country, or four if from a green-category country and returning Cebuanos need to present a valid identification card and a duly accomplished declaration form stating their residential address in Cebu for OFWs besides proof of pre-booking at an accredited hotel in Cebu for a maximum of two days for ROFs. (AW)
