Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac said that they have received reports of Overseas FIlipino Workers or OFWs in the UAE who are paying penalties due to their delayed flights caused by the Philippine travel ban.
“Yes we have received reports ng mga OFW na naapektuhan ng ban. We stand ready to help them,” Cacdac said.
The OWWA chief said that the priority now is for the Philippine Embassy in UAE to reach out to their counterparts to explain the situation of the Philippine travel ban.
“We are seeking assistance of the Embassy in Dubai. Kailangan kausapin ang UAE government para hindi mag skyrocket in terms of penalties sa ating mga OFWs,” he added.
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Cacdac said that they will discuss with OFWs to settle the problem in visa penalties after the government settled this with the UAE government.
“We are willing to discuss with OFWS meron tayo mag reach out para makausap ang UAE government,” he added.
Some overseas Filipino workers are lamenting the decision of the Philippine government to ban travellers from the United Arabe Emirates and Oman.
The travel ban will take effect from May 15 to May 31 according to the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force.
The recommendation comes after the Philippines detected two cases of the high transmissible COVID-19 variant from India.
READ ON: OFWs lament Philippine gov’t ban on travellers from UAE, Oman
“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 nman po, wife ko po buntis and finished contract na siya. Makakadagdag lng sa kanya stress niyo. May 17 po flight nmin, ako okay lng kahit hindi makauwi, huwag lng maipit wife ko dito, lalot’t may fine pa if nag-overstay,” a netizen commented.
Some are questioning the decision since the two seafarers who contracted the virus did not stay very long in UAE and Oman. They also said that the majority of residents from UAE are fully vaccinated against the virus.
“Dalawang Pinoy hindi naman galing ng UAE seaman sila at hindi sila galing dto. Sa UAE halos fully vaccinated na OFW dito,” one netizen lamented.
Others are disappointed since most of them already experienced cancelled flights due to strict travel restrictions in Manila.
“Kawawa ang mga overstaying dito sa UAE na palagi pang cancelled mga flights nila,” one OFW said.
“Wag niyo na kme pauwiin. Kaka-stress kayo. Puro cancel na nga now banned pa,” another one added. (TDT)
