Cebu-bound international flights diverted to NAIA again

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has extended the diversion of all international flights bound for Cebu to Manila until June 12.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. cited a memorandum order issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea dated June 5, which stressed the need to ”ensure that travel and testing protocols approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) will be fully and seamlessly implemented upon resumption of international flights to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.”

“We are hoping that on the 13th of June, the IATF protocols on arriving OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and OFs will be implemented in Cebu,” Roque said.

The diversion of flights to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was imposed from May 29 to June 5.

Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority general manager Glenn Napuli said they were “shocked” to receive the memorandum yesterday, noting that they had resumed inbound international flights last Sunday.

Sought for comment, Department of Health (DOH)-Central Visayas spokesperson Mary Jean Loreche said it is up to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to implement the needed protocols.

Last week, Garcia met with President Duterte during which she explained the travel protocols implemented by the provincial government.

Citing the shortage of rooms in hotels and quarantine facilities, the Cebu provincial government said returning Filipinos would be swabbed upon arrival and sent home if they tested negative for COVID-19. They will undergo another swab test on the seventh day.

As per IATF rules, inbound travelers should quarantine for 10 days in a government facility and at their home for another four days.

Roque had earlier said the President wanted the DOH to provide a “critique” of Garcia’s decision to allow travelers to forgo quarantine if they tested negative for COVID-19. – Mitchelle Palaubsanon/The Freeman