MANILA – Ang mga overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) na patungo sa mga bansang kasama sa ‘red list’ ng Pilipinas dahil sa banta ng coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Omicron variant ay hindi makakabiyahe sa kanilang mga host nation sa ngayon, sinabi ng Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) nitong Huwebes.
“Based on the latest IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) resolution, the government said all international flights from countries with cases of Omicron are canceled. Since they are on the red list, all incoming flights are canceled and once all international flights are canceled, there will be no outbound flights as well. Our OFWs bound for these countries are barred from leaving as per IATF resolution,” sinabi ni POEA chief Bernard Olalia sa isang Laging Handa briefing.
Dagdag pa niya, nakatakda silang maglabas ng advisory na nagpapaalam sa mga OFW ng panukala.
Mula Nobyembre 28 hanggang Disyembre 15, ang pagpasok ng mga manlalakbay mula sa South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, at Italy sa bansa ay ipinagbabawal.
Tanging ang mga Pilipinong bumalik sa bansa sa pamamagitan ng government-initiated o non-government-initiated repatriation at Bayanihan Flights ang maaaring payagang makapasok na napapailalim sa umiiral na pagpasok, testing, at quarantine protocols para sa ‘red list’ na mga bansa/ hurisdiksyon/teritoryo.
Ang mga OFW na nasa holiday leave mula sa mga bansang nasa ‘red list’ ay maaring makapasok sa bansa, alinsunod sa health protocols, ayon kay Olalia.
“We also have protocols for those coming from those countries. It is very important because they will be home for Christmas. If you come from that country, if the flight is government-initiated or NGO (non-government organization) initiated flight, you will be allowed to land here, if you are OFWs. We have quarantine protocols where you have to undergo quarantine for 14 days and test for Covid-19 before they are allowed to return to your provinces,” wika ni Olalia.
