Local airlines Cebu Pacific (CEB) and Philippine Airlines (PAL) will join forces to fetch overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who wish to be repatriated from Kuwait.
The airlines made the announcement on Saturday in the wake of the recent spate of killings of OFWs in the Gulf country which led President Rodrigo Duterte to impose a total deployment ban of Filipino workers there and repatriate those who wish to come home.
In a statement released February 10, Cebu Pacific said it will be sending the largest aircraft in its fleet for free in response to the call made by the president last Friday.
“CEB will be deploying an Airbus A330 aircraft—the largest in its fleet, for the charter flight. It has a maximum capacity of 436 passengers. [It] will also provide free food and refreshment, as well as baggage allowance for all passengers on this charter flight,” CEB read.
Meanwhile, PAL will also work hand in hand with the government in its repatriation efforts. “In the service of our ‘kababayans’ (countrymen), we will be ensuring their safe journey back to the Philippines. PAL is more than ready to mount extra flights to Kuwait, as needed,” PAL said.
On Friday, Pres. Duterte ordered Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III to bring home OFWs in Kuwait within 72 hours after the woman ‘s body found inside a freezer in Kuwait City was identified as a Filipina.
DOLE said it is set to issue on Monday, February 12, a total deployment ban order of OFWs to Kuwait.
