THE Philippines’ leading carrier, Cebu Pacific (CEB), brought home this week 346 Filipinos from Dubai via two Bayanihan flights in response to the government’s call to repatriate overseas Filipinos who were stranded in the Middle East.
The Bayanihan flights on Sept. 27 and 29 were mounted by CEB in coordination with the Philippine government’s special working group.
Passengers on these flights received an additional 25-kilogram baggage allowance, meal upgrades, and a gift pack from Universal Robina Corporation (URC).
Upon arrival, the passengers were required to follow current health protocols, including a mandatory 15-day/14-night quarantine stay in a pre-booked, accredited facility. Another reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test will be taken in seven days.
The cost of quarantine accommodation and testing for land-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are shouldered by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), while the Philippine Port Authority covered the cost for sea-based OFWs.
CEB has coordinated with the hotels accredited by the Bureau of Quarantine to ensure that there are adequate facilities for OFWs and their dependents.
The accredited hotels for the September 27 flight were Go Hotels Airport, Go Hotels Ortigas, Holiday Inn Galleria, Sheraton RWM, and Go Hotels North Edsa.
For the Sept. 29 Bayanihan flight, the accredited hotels were Go Hotels Ortigas, Go Hotels Ermita, Eurotel North Edsa, and Lub d Makati.
“While we await the easing of restrictions for international travel, we are glad to keep assisting our government in its repatriation efforts. We know a lot of our kababayans abroad have been wanting to fly home, and it is our honor to enable them, especially as we enter the holiday season,” said Alex Reyes, chief strategy officer at Cebu Pacific.
Since July, CEB has safely flown more than 4,600 Filipinos from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, India, Vietnam, Lebanon, and Bahrain through bayanihan and Department of Foreign Affairs -arranged charter flights.
CEB operates the widest domestic network in the Philippines, covering 31 destinations, on top of its eight international destinations. Its 74-strong fleet, one of the youngest in the world, includes two dedicated ATR freighters and one A330 freighter./PN
