Some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are lamenting the decision of the Philippine government to ban travelers from the UAE and Oman.
The travel ban will take effect from May 15 to May 31, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force.
The recommendation comes after the Philippines detected two cases of the high transmissible COVID-19 variant from India.
“Walang grace period?? Grabe agad agad? Yung ticket po namin promo di pwede ma rebook… Payag kami sa 14 days quarantine pero travel ban? Filipinos din po kami,” one OFW said.
Another OFW said that his wife is pregnant and has already finished her contract abroad.
“Sana may consideration naman po, wife ko po buntis and finished contract na siya. Makakadagdag lang sa kanya stress niyo. May 17 po flight namin. Ako okay alng kahit hindi makauwi, huwag lang maipit wife ko dito, lalo’t may fine pa if nag-overstay,” another netizen pleaded.
OFWs against the travel ban asserted that the majority of the UAE residents are fully vaccinated against the virus.
The two seafarers who tested positive for the Indian COVID-19 variant, they said, did not stay very long in UAE and Oman.
“[Yung] dalawang Pinoy hindi naman galing ng UAE. Seaman sila at hindi sila galing dito. Sa UAE halos fully vaccinated na OFW dito,” a UAE-based OFW pointed out.
Others were also disappointed since they have been experiencing cancelled flights to the Philippines for months already.
It can be recalled that the government also imposed a 1500-passenger cap for those arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. This prompted some airlines to cancel some of their flights from UAE to Manila.
“Kawawa ang mga overstaying dito sa UAE na palagi pang cancelled mga flights nila,” an OFW said.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed that individuals who come directly from the UAE and Oman, as well as individuals with travel history to these 2 countries within the last 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines, will not be allowed to enter the country effective 00:01H of May 15, 2021 until 23:59H of May 31.
Both countries are now added to the growing list of countries whose passengers cannot enter the Philippines. These include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
