Some Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) affected by the technical glitch at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on New Year’s Day finally had the chance to leave the Philippines.
In an interview with ABS-CBN, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said that around 60 OFWs left the country on Wednesday, while around 200 are staying in hotels while waiting for their rescheduled flights.
“Nung tinanong kasi ako kung ilan pa yung possibly nasa hotel, so ang estimate ko kahapon, nung sumagot ako was 200. Pero hindi ko ibig sabihin na wala silang rebooking. Lahat sila nakakuha ng rebooking, nung mga nai-hotel natin, nung gabi rin nayon noong petsa uno,” Cacdac said.
“It’s just that, they needed a place to stay. At tinanong nila kami, kami’y nakapag-rebook pero January 4,5, or 6 ang petsa ng alis, kami ba ay maiho-hotel ng DMW at OWWA until those dates? So malinaw naman ang direktiba ni Secretary Toots Ople at ni Admin Arnell Ignacio, nagpapasalamat kami sa kaniya, na yes, sila’y pwedeng mai-billet muna until their flight dates,” he added.
Cacdac said that labor attaches abroad will help Filipinos explain to their employers the incident that took place at the airport, which led to the halting of almost 300 flights and 60,000 passengers being stranded.
“May instruction na rin si Secretary Toots sa kanyang mga labor attaches all over the world na tumulong sa pagpapaliwanag sa mga employers,” Cacdac added.
Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople has ordered Philippine posts abroad and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to continue providing assistance to OFWs affected by the flight disruptions.
“The DMW and OWWA as its attached agency will continue to assist affected OFW passengers until all flight schedules have been rebooked and are on track,” Ople said in a statement.
The DMW chief issued the order as flight schedules across the country’s airports began shifting back to normal operations.
