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PH Air Force transports stranded foreign tourists to Manila
AIDING STRANDED TOURISTS. Foreign tourists disembark from a C-130 aircraft of the Philippine Air Force at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on Thursday (March 19, 2020).
The tourists were picked up from the Mactan Air Base in Cebu after they were stranded as local carriers canceled domestic flights in compliance with the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. (Photo courtesy of Air Force Public Affairs Office via PNA)
MANILA – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has transported to Manila some 46 foreign tourists who were stranded in Cebu.
In a statement on Friday, PAF spokesperson Maj. Aristides Galang said a Lockheed C-130 “Hercules” cargo plane picked up the tourists from Mactan Air Base, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu and flew them to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Thursday.
Galang said the flight was coordinated with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Tourism, and PAF Chief, Lt. Gen. Allen T. Paredes.
The effort was part of recovery flights aimed at helping tourists who were stranded due to travel restrictions in line with the enhanced community quarantine in effect over Luzon due to the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak.
Based on updated community quarantine guidelines, only overseas Filipino workers, balikbayans, and foreign nationals would be allowed to leave at any time during the quarantine period in Luzon, provided they travel only to the airport within 24 hours of the date and time of their departure.
Outgoing passengers have been advised to provide documents of their departure, such as an electronic ticket or flight itinerary.
